


Conflicted

by Ajpaws



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-03-30 20:04:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 97,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13958985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ajpaws/pseuds/Ajpaws
Summary: Lyrasanna is the young wife of General Hux, her part in the war between the First Order and the Resistance changes in ways even she could never have imagined when she meets Pilot Poe Dameron. Romance between my OC X General Hux and OC X Poe Dameron because i'm greedy.





	1. The General's Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, this is the first time i have used AO3 to post anything. This story was originally posted on FF.net but i thought i would add it on here too. I hope you guys enjoy the story! I own nothing but my character, Lyra.

The young woman walked briskly through the halls of the finalizer. Her blue dress trailing behind her as graceful as her own lithe body.

To those aboard the ship, she was Lyrasanna Hux, daughter of Zerz and Vega Nyine, wife of General Armitage Hux, but to her husband she was just Lyra and he was just Armitage.

On the main deck, General Hux was so busy ordering his staff around, he barely noticed his wife enter the room and when she reached out her arm to touch him gently, he jumped at the contact, turning to peer down at her with a hard frown.

“Lyra, what, what are you doing here? What’s the matter?”

She smiled up at him. “Nothing’s the matter, I need a reason to visit my husband?”

Even with her dark hair held high in an elaborate plait and barely a touch of makeup, she was beautiful, the most beautiful woman Hux had ever laid his eyes on. But having her there with her carefree attitude and out-of-place sense of humour within the First Order was dangerous, and he didn’t want her to be sent away to live on some distant planet like the other wives of the staff at the Finalizer had to.

“I thought you were spending the day in the library?”

She rolled her eyes. “I was, but there’s only so many times you can read Supreme Leader Snoke’s approved list of books before it gets rather tiresome. Have you had lunch yet? I thought we might have it together?”

Hux placed a hand on her shoulder before pulling her aside.

“I can’t. I don’t have time for lunch today.”

Lyra shrugged. “I can bring you some. Though surely you won’t get in too much trouble if you sneak away with me for a short while? We could even hide away in some dark corner and I could let you have your wicked way with me” she winked.

Hux widened his eyes. “Lyra, please, keep your voice down. I’m much too busy at the moment. Please, go back to our chambers before you get into trouble.”

Lyra pouted, unaware that behind them, Kylo Ren approached.  
“You know if I leave you now, I won’t see you until the early hours of the morning. I miss you” she told him.

“How touching. I hope there isn’t trouble in paradise?”

The couple turned to face Kylo Ren, his mask covering his face.

“While that’s none of your business Ren, perhaps you might let my husband have an afternoon off soon. I feel as if his life is not his own lately. He lives to work.”

Hux shot a warning look to his wife as his grip on her shoulder tightened slightly.  
“Lyra please” he whispered.

“That’s quite alright General. Your wife is nothing if not opinionated. Our important work demands attention Lady Hux. We can’t afford anything, or anyone to distract us. General, finish up with your wife, I have news for you” Ren spoke through his mask, his voice cold and sinister. She felt his gaze pierce into her even with the mask on.  
When he turned and walked away, Hux loosened his grip on her shoulder before checking nobody was listening.  
“Please darling, go back to our chambers before you cause any more trouble, I need you to co-operate, for your own safety. I’ll see you tonight.”

He kissed her forehead softly, causing her to smile against him.  
“Fine. But only because I don’t want Ren to make your life any more difficult than he already does. I’ll see you later. I love you.”

He nodded. “You too. Now go.”

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving, leaving him slightly flustered.  
As she passed Stormtroopers in the halls they stopped to acknowledge her, either stopping while she passed or wishing her well. On the Finalizer she and Hux were treated like Royalty, at least when Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke were not around. For all the attention, she had never thought wanting time and attention from her husband was a lot to ask but in the First Order, it seemed to be worth more than gold and harder to obtain at that. She placed her hand on the recognition pad to her and Hux’s chambers and stepped inside.

The chambers had been so cold and clinical when she had first arrived. Armitage Hux was a man of minimalistic taste, but she had soon changed that when he brought her on board. She had brought some photographs of them together and placed them around the rooms as well as add curtains to the bed to give them added privacy on such a busy ship. A few books that Snoke probably never would approve of if he knew had found their way onto some of the shelves in the main living quarters as well. Finally, Lyra had insisted on bringing their cat Millicent on board too, seeing as the ginger cat had been Hux’s only soft spot before he had married Lyra.  
Millicent purred and rubbed up against her leg as Lyra stroked the cat gently and then poured her a saucer of milk.

Helping herself to a glass of wine she found a comfy spot on the couch and began to reread her favourite book for the fourth time. Life on the finalizer was painfully lonely, ever since Hux had dedicated himself wholly to the First Order and begun a vicious competition with Ren to win Snoke’s approval.

When younger, Lyra had never had much of a chance to make friends, her parents had set her up to a talent at one thing, finding a husband. She had used that excuse to buy herself an education, and self-defence training, and language lessons, among other things. She had even taught herself how to hack systems after learning how to program software, a skill that had tested her ability to persuade her father greatly to allow.

It left her little time to make friends, and life aboard a war ship left even less time and less opportunity to make new friendships. She was alone, with the exception of Hux and their cat. 

A few hours of reading passed before she heard a knock at the door. She hurried to open the door but instead of being greeted by a stormtrooper carrying a tray of food.

“The General sends his apologies my lady that he cannot join you for dinner. He arranged dinner to be sent for you.”

Lyra’s face fell but she nodded and allowed the stormtrooper to place the tray of food down for her on the dining table.

“Please tell the General I will keep his side of the bed warm for him tonight.”

The stormtrooper turned towards her as he reached the door.

“Oh, my lady, he said not to wait up for him tonight. Important business to attend to.”

Lyra nodded. “Right, of course he does. Thank you anyway.”

As the stormtrooper left, Lyra looked at the plate of food. At least Armitage had been kind enough to request some of her favourite foods, but it was yet another evening of eating alone. She knew eating alone in his office wasn’t what he wanted either, but the man was so obsessed with work, it was proving futile to get him to choose her above Snoke’s vision of a galaxy under one strict rule anymore.

She took a few pieces of fruit from the plate but left the rest of the food untouched. Now she was just tired, and there was little else to do but sleep anyway. After feeding Millicent she changed into a night robe and climbed into bed, drawing the curtains around her. Sleep found her slowly, she was too bored to sleep. It had felt like a lifetime ago that she had even been able to join Hux for a dinner event, or even networking drinks and she longed for something interesting to happen once more.

In the middle of the night, she became aware of footsteps in the room and after a few minutes she felt an arm wrap around her waist and soft lips kiss her neck gently. Lyra smiled and turned to her husband in the dark.

“You didn’t eat dinner” he whispered.

“I didn’t want to eat without you, it felt wrong. How was work?”

Hux stroked her back gently. “Darling it’s late, go to sleep, we can talk in the morning.”

Lyra kissed his lips as she stroked his cheek. “I want to know how your day was, talk to me, please.”

Hux sighed as he held her. “Ren thinks he has found the location of part of a map, a very important map. One that could lead us to something that would crush the rebellion if we found it and destroyed it.”

“What does this map lead to?”

Hux took a breath. “The location of Luke Skywalker.”

Lyra clicked to turn on the bedside lamp and leaned up on her elbows.

“Luke Skywalker? THE Luke Skywalker? I thought he was dead, or just a myth.”

Hux frowned up at her. “We aren’t sure, but if he is alive and real, this map will lead us to him.”

Lyra grinned down at him.  
“How exciting, a real Jedi Knight, a legend of his kind, alive and within our reach.”

She lay on her side and entwined her fingers through his own.  
“Hm. Don’t get too excited, if we find him, we destroy him, and the remaining resistance.”

Lyra couldn’t help but grin, she leaned closer to kiss his lips. “Nothing ever exciting happens around here, you can’t blame me for getting a little giddy at the prospect of the most famous Jedi Knight being alive” she whispered before kissing him again.

He pulled away. “Well, in any case let’s get some rest, Ren will have the map in his possession in just a few hours, if he’s successful.”

Lyra ran a hand through his hair softly. “I don’t want to sleep right now, I want my husband.”  
Hux sighed before kissing her, moving to lean over her as she pulled him closer to her. He felt cold to touch, the main deck was always colder than his office, it was how she could tell where he had spent most of his working day. She ran her hands over his chest in an effort to warm him up before her hand trailed downwards to remove his clothes. A hand stopped her and she looked up to see Hux gazing down at her with a sympathetic look.

“I’m sorry my darling, I’m just, so tired. Can we reschedule?”

She tried desperately not to look disappointed as she nodded and watched as he moved to lie next to her once more, pulling her close to him as he did so.

“I know I have been distant of late, all this damn work all the time. I promise to schedule in some real time for us the moment I can.”

Lyra gave him a curt nod as she relaxed into his touch.

“I do love you, you know that.”

“I know. I love you too, so very much” she replied.

It did not take Hux long to fall asleep, leaving his less than happy wife to watch him as he slept. The ship was utterly silent other than the occasional bump or whir of the systems around them working. There were no parties, no late-night meetings, not even the sounds of an unscheduled conversation. Lyra had often wondered why Hux ever believed in this vision of a future. A future of quiet agreement and rules, with no room for stories or opinions or anything unique. That idea of a future made her question everything she had been living these past six years. 

***  
Lyra stirred in her sleep as she felt weight on the bed lift. She reached out her hand to find her husband’s back as he sat up on the side of the bed, shining his shoes. It was always dark outside but she knew instantly that it was far too early in the morning to be getting ready for work. Letting out a loud yawn she nudged closer to him to kiss his back.

“It’s much too early to be leaving me alone in bed. Come back to me Armitage.”

He caught her hand mid-stretch and placed a light kiss to her fingertips. “I can’t. Duty calls my darling, Ren may have hold of a prisoner that can lead us straight to Skywalker. He has summoned me.”

With that, Lyra’s eyes snapped wide open and she scrabbled to get out of bed. “Can I come?”

She didn’t wait for an answer as she threw on a dress and looked around frantically for a pair of shoes.

“No darling, he’s a member of the resistance, he’s dangerous” Hux said, securing the First Order pin onto his greatcoat. 

She reached down under the bed and pulled out a pair of shoes. “Please? I promise I’ll be no trouble, I won’t anger Ren, I just want to see, please Armitage. I’m so bored cooped up in here all the time.”

Hux rolled his eyes. “You will not address Ren, you will not address the prisoner, and if I ask you to do something, you comply for your own safety, do you understand?”

Lyra let out a small noise of excitement before nodding.

In the hallway, she dared not hold Hux’s hand, married they might have been but Armitage had made his views on public displays of affection well known, there was no place for it in the First Order, especially on the Finalizer, and so there was no place for it with him. She walked alongside him though, a subtle jab at the order of things onboard a warship, where men came first. 

“What if the prisoner is a Jedi too? Or at least force sensitive?”

Hux gave his wife a disapproving look. “How do you even know about force sensitivity, any books revealing the Jedi’s ways are banned.”

She shrugged. “On this ship perhaps but I did read before I met you, I didn’t just pop out of a hole in the ground when you were ready to find a wife.”

The General shook his head. “At any rate, all Jedi’s were dispatched years ago along with the whole order. Skywalker and Ren are the only ones remaining with the power of the force, and that’s if Skywalker is even alive, if we are lucky, we will merely be bringing back a body to show the resistance that their precious symbol of hope is dead.”

“All seems a bit morbid doesn’t it?”

They approached the landing docks and already a group of Stormtroopers, Captain Phasma and Ren stood, watching over a prisoner, who seemed to have already been beaten. As Lyra and Hux approached, she saw the prisoner up close. He didn’t look like a Jedi, he just looked like a normal man. A very handsome one at that. His thick curly brown hair had streaks of grey running through it and his large brown eyes bore into Ren as if he had no fear of the monster in-front of him.

She couldn’t help but flinch when Ren struck his face hard, causing his already bleeding face to bleed more. The prisoner looked over at Lyra and smirked.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, that barely landed, I bet you could hit better than that” he told her. 

Lyra suppressed a giggle as she heard the man challenge Ren, he really was fearless. General Hux stood protectively in-front of her, obscuring her view of the brave prisoner. 

“Do not think to address my wife scum. You are nothing but filth and you WILL tell us the location of the map.”

Lyra moved her head so she could see the prisoner once more.

“Wife? you lot can get wives? I thought you guys were like, sterile or something, and she’s pretty too, really pretty. Honestly, I’m not even mad, I’m just impressed, who knew between all the killing of innocents and barking orders you had time to get a wife.”

Lyra smiled at his bravery and he winked at her, causing her to look away in embarrassment.

She noticed her husband’s face grow as red as his hair as he pushed her back further behind him. 

“How dare you. You are beneath her, do not even think to look at her. You will tell us where the map is or you will die” Hux barked at the prisoner.

She winced at the harshness of his words and watched on in pity as the Stormtroopers dragged the handsome man away.  
The General moved away from Lyra without a pause to speak to Ren about the map and Lyra saw it as the perfect moment to sneak away to find out where the prisoner was being kept. When she noted the cell he was being kept in, she went back to her chambers and waited for Hux to return. When he finally did, she could tell his talk with Ren had caused him stress and immediately poured him a shot of whiskey. It didn’t take words to know when he was under pressure, his eyes seemed to scream out worry, sinking further back into his head as dark circles formed under them. He also had a tendency to break out in a small red rash on one single patch on his neck. It had always worried her. Lyra knew how to read her husband, especially when he was always so bad at using words to tell her what was wrong.

He took the glass from her with a nod of approval and rubbed the back of his neck.

“The prisoner had a droid with him on Jakku, the droid has the map and it escaped. Ren seems to think he can draw the information from the prisoner by using the force but Snoke, the Supreme Leader is angry we let the droid escape” Hux told her, his fingers tapping the rim of the glass nervously. 

“That isn’t your fault, Ren went to recover the map not you, what were you meant to do to stop it?”

Hux waved a hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter Lyra! Do you think the Supreme Leader cares about how we failed? All he cares about is that we did fail and if we continue to displease him, he will punish us accordingly. He might even demote me, or send you away for proving to be a distraction.”

Lyra frowned, she knew he was stressed but she hated when he raised his voice with her. “Let him try, let him try to shut me away in some dark corner of the galaxy without my husband. It won’t work, you know it won’t. We stick together, as one.”

Hux managed a small smile before finishing the rest of his whiskey. “You know he could darling. If it came to it. I need us to be smart right now, I need you to lay low and listen to me so we can remain safe, do you understand that?”

She nodded. 

“And Lyra, stay away from that prisoner. He’s nothing but trouble.”

She shrugged. “He seemed harmless to me, he certainly didn’t seem like he needed to be beaten that much into submission.”

Hux stroked Millicent as she sniffed the whiskey glass curiously on the table. “Did you hear the way he spoke to you, anything but submissive my darling. He’s dangerous, and reckless at that and I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

The stoic General left her to pursue work once more, more than likely going to help Ren interrogate the prisoner, leaving Lyra with an ill feeling in her stomach. Nobody deserved to be beaten the way that prisoner was, he might have been one of the rebels, but he was a living thing above that.


	2. The Prisoner

Later that same day, another Stormtrooper dropped off a tray of food, indicating it would be another night alone for Lyra, but for once, there was something to do while she waited. 

When all was quiet, she grabbed some food from the tray and made her way down the hallways to the holding cell where the prisoner was being kept. Rebel or not the man deserved to be treated as a human being, that’s if he was still alive at this point. 

There were two Stormtroopers on guard and she frowned as she moved towards them.

“Let me through, I’ve orders from my husband to feed this man. After all, we need him alive if he’s going to give us any information.”

The Stormtroopers looked at one another, clearly questioning why she was called to do such a thing. The General’s wife kept herself to herself at almost all times, for her to be out in the halls to visit a prisoner without her husband was most unusual. One of the stormtroopers reached for his radio.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The General is most tired today and I can imagine he would bite the head off anyone who questions his orders. He even snapped at me. I mean, you can contact him if you wish but, be it on your head, and your position here on the Finalizer.’ 

The Stormtrooper paused and then opened the door, allowing the young woman in.

“See to it I am not disturbed, perhaps I can get the prisoner to talk” she told them just before the doors closed behind her. 

Up ahead, the prisoner was being kept tied down with the strongest restraints on-board, he wasn’t moving and for a moment she feared he had already been killed. As she moved around to face him he let out a sigh, his face bloody and his lip swollen but his eyes remained closed. 

“Creep around in my mind all you want but I can’t tell you what I don’t know, I don’t know where the droid is now, probably as far away from here as he can be.” 

“If the droid had any sense he would be far from here, I can’t imagine he would relish becoming spare parts all for the sake of a map.”

The prisoner’s eyes snapped open and he smirked. “Ah the pretty wife, they send their wives to do their dirty work now, I did say you could hit me harder than that loser in the mask, what, are you their secret weapon or something?”

She smiled as she placed the food to one side and pulled out a silk handkerchief. “I’m not here to torture you.”

The prisoner raised an eyebrow. “Oh no? What are you here for then?”

Lyra began to wipe away some of the blood from his face as gently as possible. “You looked hurt, I just wanted to check you were alright. Ren can be more violent than he needs to be, even with those on his side.”

The prisoner shrugged. “Like I said, weak hits, I barely noticed him land those hits” he said while wincing as Lyra wiped a particularly sore part of his cheek.

“So I see, quite the brave rebel aren’t you. Do you really know where Luke Skywalker is?”

“Why? Does he owe you money, spent a night with you and never called back? That’s rough, I hate it when that happens.”

She let out a quiet laugh and he watched her intensely as she tended to his wounds. “No, I just, didn’t even know he was real. I read about him as a child, a real Jedi Knight, it’s all exciting. The only person I know with Jedi abilities is Ren and he’s, well he’s not that exciting.”

The prisoner’s eyes rolled at the mention of Ren’s name. “That chump isn’t a Jedi Knight, he’s a Sith at best. Luke is the real deal.”

She bit her lip as she concentrated on wiping the blood away from him. “So he is real?”

“Honestly we don’t know, we hope so though, so we can crush the First Order and give people new hope.”

He looked at her with curiosity. She didn’t look evil. Royalty sure, with her emerald green dress with a high collar that made her look pretty formidable. There was something about her eyes though, she had a kind face and eyes that looked trusting. Too trusting to belong to someone who was part of the First Order. At least someone who would choose to belong to the First Order. 

“I’m Poe by the way, Poe Dameron.”

She looked into his eyes. “Should you give the enemy your name? Is that wise?”

He smiled at her. “If I’m gonna die here I want at least one person to know my name so they know who’s gone, also want to be remembered as someone who died a hero, don’t leave that part out, maybe I can get a statue made or something. Can I get your name? Kind of makes me feel like I’m not dying on this ship all alone if I know your name.”

She stared at him, pausing before she answered. “Lyrasanna Hux, Lyra, my name’s Lyra.”

Poe smiled, a very charming smile, she thought to herself.

“Lyra hey, well, good to meet you Lyra, I would shake hands but, I’m sort of tied up at the moment.”

She laughed again, a sound Poe liked a lot, and went to pass him some food.

“That’s alright sweetheart I’m not too hungry at the moment, besides you look like you could use the food, do they feed you up here in the Order?”

Truth be told she was getting thin. Her husband worried, which made her worry, which made her skip food most of the time. Besides, she couldn’t remember the last time she had a real, home cooked meal and not just the readymade food they kept on board the warship. 

“Are you sure you don’t want something? I don’t know when you will get fed next?”

“You worried about me now sweetheart? Have we bonded, was this our bonding time? I’ll be ok. I suppose it’s too much to ask to let me go?”

She frowned. “I can’t, I wish I could, I’m so sorry.”

Poe winked at her. “It’s alright, I understand, you seem as much a prisoner here as I do, just stay safe alright sweetheart.”

She nodded and cleared the food away before leaving. 

Lyra watched for anyone passing through the halls as she left Poe Dameron’s cell. It was late and the ship was silent as it always was at this time of night. The Stormtroopers on guard watched her carefully as she closed the door behind her, staring down at the food in her hand.

“He wasn’t hungry. Thank you for keeping watch, and please, don’t tell anyone about this, I’m sure Ren and my husband will just worry more than they need to about me getting involved” she said quietly to the curious Stormtroopers.

They nodded once and stood to attention once more.

As she walked back to her chambers, her heart began to pound and the realization of what she had done suddenly dawned on her. She had visited a prisoner, gone against the orders of her husband and General of the ship. If Ren found out he would most likely accuse her of working with the enemy. She had always flirted with breaking the rules, challenged Ren mildly with sarcasm, drank a little too much at events, questioned her husband’s actions within the First Order but she had never gone as far as to commit a crime punishable by banishment, or worse, death.

If Hux had been to their chambers he would know she had left, she had to make it look as if she had been looking for him, so she made her way to his office. His office was an intimidating place, no colour, barely any light, everything had its place, it was as ordered as he was. There was neatly filed paperwork and data files outlining those committing treason, targets and bases that needed to be raided or wiped from galaxy completely.

The office was empty, at least of people and yet more and more files had found its way to his desk, which meant more and more targets for the First Order.

Considering she had already broken the rules once that day Lyra decided to allow her curiosity to get the better of her once more. She walked over to the desk and inspected the file closest to her. It was of the Hosnian system, a series of planets where the Senate and the most important members of the Republic resided. There were a few military bases in the system as well as the impressive fleet the Republic commanded, but there were also cities and residential planets where innocent families and peaceful members of the Senate lived.

It was marked as a target. Lyra frowned and shook her head, it couldn’t be true. It had to be a mistake, a whole system wiped from the galaxy was insanity, especially one with so many innocents residing in it. She would just ask her husband what it meant, it had to be wrong.

“What are you doing in here my darling?”

She looked up to see Hux standing in the doorway.

“Looking for you, I thought of something we could do together, when you have time.”

He managed a small smile and moved aside to clear the doorway. “Well I’m sure it will be lovely whatever you suggest but we can discuss it in our chambers when I finish work. I don’t want you messing any of this data up, it’s far too important.”

Lyra frowned. “Armitage, these files on the Hosnian system, they have to be wrong, it’s marked the whole system as a target but that can’t be right. That system is full of families. It isn’t a military target.”

The General sighed and closed the door behind him, locking them both in his study. “You shouldn’t be looking through files that do not concern you.”

“Armitage, the First Order cannot just blow up an entire system, it’s not just a huge military base.”

“The Republic supports the rebels, their fleet has to be destroyed, they cannot keep supplying the enemy.”

“It isn’t just about them! What about the innocents, what about the people who aren’t helping the rebels?”

Hux massaged his temples with his gloved fingers as he thought of what to tell his wife. “The Starkiller station must be used to get people to submit to the First Order so that they may live under one rule that will keep them safe. We must show our strength to get people to listen, the Senate is built on lies and corruption, we must end it.”

Lyra frowned, stepping closer to him. “Armitage, these aren’t just examples of abuse of power you can use as justification, these are people, living people with families and children. You can’t be serious about this?”

Hux hated to see his wife upset, it pained him. She was a part of him, an extension of himself, whatever pain or hurt she felt, he seemed to feel it too, but he had to do what he believed was right.

“Supreme Leader Snoke has demanded this of me. I cannot undo all this work, all the efforts of the men. I cannot go against his orders Lyra, you know that.”

She thought of Poe, of his efforts to do what he believed was right as well. “Then we can leave, we will leave the Finalizer, we can go and escape all of this and start anew.”

Hux shook his head. “We can’t abandon the mission. I can’t abandon the mission, Lyra, it’s killing some to save many, don’t you understand that?”

Lyra stared at her husband in disbelief, she knew he believed in his work, in the First Order but this was something else. She had never seen him condone the murder of innocents. Either he truly believed this was right, or he was too scared to back away.

“You can’t do this, you can’t. Armitage I know you, I love you, please, you know this is wrong, you can’t really go through with this.”

Something in Hux’s eyes changed, he frowned at his wife before he bridged the gap between them both. “I can and I will, and I will not allow you to jeopardise this mission and put both of us in danger. You will do as you are told, and right now, I’m telling you to come with me.”

Lyra tried to step away but Hux caught her arm and gripped it firmly as he led her out of his office.

“Armitage please, let me go, stop this at once. Please, Tij, listen to me, this is wrong and you know it. We still have time, you don’t have to do this, please you can’t” she pleaded with him as he led her back to their chambers forcefully.

He didn’t look at her, he couldn’t. He knew if he looked at her he would falter, he would weaken, and Snoke would never favour the weak. He felt her try to resist him, pull away from him. For the first time in their marriage Hux felt his wife fear him and his power and for once, he did not relish the power he had. She had always been his innocence, his other side, the best part of him and watching her cower from him was frightening in itself. Still, he could not turn back now, and once the rebels were taken care of, all would be well again. His grip tightened on her.

“Armitage, you’re hurting me. Let me go, please let me go, this isn’t you. I know this isn’t you” Lyra spoke and yet she could see her husband wasn’t listening.

He had tuned her out, he had become a shell, a complete servant to the First Order and she had been blind to it happening. She managed to squirm away from his grip as they entered their chambers and backed away from him.

“You will remain here until the order to destroy Hosnian Prime is carried out. I will see to it you are well taken care of in my absence. I won’t be long. I’ll be home in a few hours, a day at most. You can reach me on the radio, or the data pad should you need me?”

Lyra took his hand in hers and held it, looking up into her husband’s cold, green eyes. “Please don’t go. Stay here with me, don’t be a part of this Armitage. You are better than this, you are a good man, I would not have married you if you weren’t.”

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly. “I love you, I do this to create a better world for us both.”

Before she could attempt to stop him again he left. The doors closed behind him instantly and Lyra jumped to open them only to realise he had locked her in. The young woman pounded on the doors and shouted for Hux, believing there was still a chance to stop this. She looked around the room for anything she could use to alert Hosnian Prime, but she had nobody. Who could she contact? Hux most likely was already working on blocking the system in their chambers from hacking, knowing she was skilled at programming.

She reached for her radio and tried to contact him but had turned off his radio. Feeling helpless and lost, Lyra dropped to the floor and began to cry. She thought of Poe, of how she had the opportunity to free him and she hadn’t taken it, he might have been able to help, he might have been able to call the rebels to help.

After a few minutes, she tried to contact Hux again.

“Armitage, please, you don’t have to do this. I know you are trying to impress Snoke, I know you never had the support you deserved growing up but I love you, and I believe in you and the good in you. Please don’t do this, we can leave this place together. We can be happy together, away from Snoke, away from Ren, from all of this. It’s always been about us, we have only ever needed each other. Fuck the First Order, fuck all of this, please stop this madness.”

She waited for a response, the radio crackled for a moment and then Hux’s voice came through, quietly, barely audible.

“You risk our safety even sending a message like that Lyra. Stay quiet and behave, everything will be alright soon enough. I need you to believe in me Lyra, please.”

Before Lyra could reply he turned the radio off, leaving her to call after him again, her voice hoarse after pleading with him.

Lyra sat, feeling helpless, staring at the floor for what felt like hours. She clutched the radio in her hands hoping to hear another message from her husband, one along the lines of:

“Lyra, I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore, I’m coming back to you and we can be rid of this place, this ship, these plans, Ren, even the Supreme Leader.”

But no message came. It was only when a bright red light lit up the space around her did she move to the windows and saw her worst fear confirmed. The Starkiller was gaining power, it’s aim fixed on the Hosnian System. It was too late. Hux had given the command to fire, and she feared she had truly lost her husband to the dark side.

She watched as the piercing red lights fled toward the unsuspecting planets and thought of all the families, all the work the senate had achieved to work toward peace. Gone. Reduced to nothing more than dust. As the light reached the planets, there was eerie silence and then each of the planets broke apart like the shell of an egg, helpless and weak against the machine her husband and his troops had built.  
Once more, she slumped to the ground and rest her forehead against the cold glass of the windows, as she cried for those lost. She barely registered Hux when he returned hours later, her head still pounding as she imagined the frightened faces of the now deceased senate.

“Are you alright?”

She didn’t look up, she couldn’t face him.

He extended a hand down to her. “Please darling, at least get up off the cold floor.”

She inclined her head towards his hand but didn’t reach out to take it, still averting his gaze.

“When I met you, I could see you were a broken man. You wouldn’t tell me anything about your father and how he raised you but I knew it wasn’t good, even from the small amount of interaction I had with him. I thought, for so long I thought I could save you. If only you knew someone loved you, had faith in you and your mind and your strength, even your heart, I might have been able to heal you. But now I see you have no interest in me being the one to fix you. Instead, you have placed your faith in the dark side. It’s somewhere I do not know, and somewhere I do not care to know.”

His gaze on her softened, and he waited a moment before withdrawing his hand.

“I’ve been thinking, perhaps it’s best if you return to our home in Naboo, for the foreseeable future at least” he told her, his voice clinical, void of any caring, or even any love.

With that, her head snapped up to look at him and his heart fell at the sight of her red, watery eyes and cheeks wet with tears. “You want to send me away from you? We always said we would remain together, no matter what.”

This time it was Hux’s turn to avoid her gaze. He stood to attention as if he were addressing one of his comrades.

“Yes, well, it’s dangerous for you here now. And besides, my warship is no place for you really is it? It is for your own sake more than anything else.”

Lyra nodded once. “Well, if that is what you want today has proved that when you make your mind up to do something, nothing can stop you. Just give me until tomorrow to pack my things.”

The General looked at her, his eyebrow twitching as he saw the anger in her eyes. He had never seen emotion in her like it before and he wanted nothing more than to erase that look in her eyes by holding her close and telling her everything would be alright.  
She moved past him, bumping his shoulder as she went and began to pack her things away. Hux watched her for a while, packing away her life with him on the Finalizer with a deep sadness. She was the only thing he had other than his work. To watch her leave would be like losing an arm, but he had to. There was no other choice.

For once, the General did not step out of his chambers in the evening to do work and instead got ready for bed. As he climbed into their bed, Lyra regarded him as she packed away clothes. She was surprised he wasn’t gloating. No doubt Snoke had already praised his efforts, usually the smirk on his face after Snoke praise him couldn’t be wiped away for hours. But he looked unfulfilled and sad. Perhaps because his wife wasn’t there with Snoke, praising him as well. When she grew tired of folding dresses away she changed into nightclothes and walked closer to the bed.

Thinking Hux would argue otherwise she debated sleeping on the sofa but he pulled the covers back and patted her side of the bed.

“Please come to bed darling. All this arguing is so beneath us.”

Her brow furrowed. “You think holding me one last time before you send me away can ease your conscious? Peace of mind is not so easily bought Armitage.”

Embarrassed by her words, he nestled back down into bed and waited for her to join him. 

With reluctance, she did but turned away from him as he drew the covers over her. Together they lay there in silence, space and unsaid words between them. Finally, it was Armitage who spoke.

“I do love you. I just, can’t have you here with me anymore, I hope you understand.”

A tear escaped her eye as he leaned over to kiss her head softly. She felt it now, in the silence and space between them both. Loneliness. Her lack of friends and family had not bothered her too much when she had him on her side but now it felt crippling. She felt as if floating around space without air would be a similar feeling.


	3. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have big plans for my OC and her relationships between Hux and Poe so I really hope you guys enjoy. Please excuse the slight changes to the Force Awakens dialogue/plot, I had to rejig some things around to fit my OC into the story after all. Oh and as always, the only thing I own is my OC Lyra.  
> Lyra’s fashion inspo for this chapter and also my tumblr for anyone interested: http://ajnerdess.tumblr.com/post/169974658825/alwayssaltymiracle-zuhair-murad-fall-2017-couture

As Hux slept soundly, Lyra lay awake, tormented by her thoughts. On Naboo she would be alone, here on the Finalizer she would be alone. There was nowhere for her to go and nobody to go with. She wanted to prove useful at least, prove that the First Order did not govern all her choices. They would not be responsible for her lack of control anymore. That’s when it hit her. The prisoner, Poe Dameron. She could do one good thing before being sent back to Naboo. She could try to free him. It would cost her, probably her life but at least she would be doing something good. Something memorable. And it was about time she did something reckless once more.

There was nothing else left for her now. Armitage was practically done with her. The First Order now seemingly his only priority. Freeing Poe was the only thing she could have control of.

As Hux slept deeply by her side, exhausted from work, Lyra moved out of bed. She changed into a dress and cape, took Hux’s own blaster from his greatcoat and made her way to Poe’s cell. Along the way, a nervous looking Stormtrooper matched her pace as she walked briskly and her eyes widened in fear as she wondered if her plan had already been discovered. 

Turning a corner in the hallway near Poe’s cell she grabbed the Stormtrooper and pulled him into a hidden alcove, pulling off his helmet and pressing the blaster against his neck.

“Why are you following me?”

“Whoa whoa hey, calm down. What are you doing here Lady Hux, with a blaster, by the prisoner’s cell?”

He looked far too young to be indoctrinated into the First Order. Far too young to even be a Stormtrooper.

“If I told you I might have to kill you. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the dock, or are you here to guard the prisoner. If so, then I’m really sorry about this.”

She went to knock him out with the blunt end of the blaster but his arm caught her. “Hey, hey stop, stop, I think we both want the same thing.”

He looked as nervous as she did, his arm shaking as it caught a grip of her own.

“I’m not here to guard the prisoner, or hurt him” the young man said.

“Then what are you here for?”

He frowned. “What uhh, what are you here for?”

She tightened her grip around the blaster. “If you must know, I…… I’m here to free him now again, I’m sorry about this.”

The Stormtrooper stopped her raised hand again and lowered his voice. “Calm down lady, we both want the same thing. I’m here to free him too. This is weird though, you’re the General’s wife, why do you want to free him?”

Lyra sighed. “Because….. because I have nothing left to lose if I get caught anymore. And it’s the right thing to do.”

The Stormtrooper smiled. “Ditto. Do you have a plan? I mean, once we get him?”

Lyra frowned. “Hadn’t thought that far ahead. I can divert some of the Stormtroopers in the hallways to clear the way through to the docks by hacking the system through to their radios. From there, I’m not sure, here’s hoping our prisoner can fly something.”

“That sounds like a sort of plan. Won’t your husband be mad though, if he finds out?”

Lyra shook her head. “Oh no, not at all, he gave me his blessing.”

The Stormtrooper raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “No of course he bloody didn’t. He’ll probably kill me, and if he doesn’t have the strength to do it, Ren or Snoke will finish the job. Still, I have to do what’s right. Now come on, if you’re with me, let’s go.”

The Stormtrooper nodded and placed his helmet back on before he followed Lyra to the doors of Poe’s cell.

“Let me in, I have urgent orders from the General to check up on the prisoner. A dead man cannot tell his secrets after all” Lyra told the two guards on duty.

They exchanged looks before shaking their heads.

“We weren’t informed my lady. I’ll radio through to the General now.”

Lyra shot him a pained look as a wave of panic spread through her body. “I’m really sorry about this” she stated before knocking the guard with her blaster as the Stormtrooper shot the other with his own blaster.

“What are you doing? All the guards nearby would have heard that” Lyra told the young Stormtrooper.

“What was I meant to do? You knocked the other guy out, I thought you meant business, I’m sorry!”

She shook her head at him. “By the stars, it doesn’t matter now does it? We just don’t have a plan now, we need to hurry and get Poe out.”

As the Stormtrooper opened the door Lyra ran in to see Poe was still covered in bruises and cuts, but his eyes opened, and he smiled down at her. He was alive at least.

“Ah the pretty wife, just couldn’t get enough of me the first-time aye?” he smirked.

“Stop being charming. We’re here to rescue you”.

Poe’s eyes widened. “We, who’s we?”

The Stormtrooper came into view. “She means me, FN-2187.”

As Lyra worked on hacking into his restraints system, Poe stared at the Stormtrooper, confused about what the hell was happening. “Yeah, I’m not gonna call you that. FN huh, Finn, I’m gonna call you Finn, that ok? Lyra how we doin there?”

She nodded. “Give me three more seconds and we are, done.”

Poe’s restraints snapped open causing her to grin. “I did it, I actually did it” she said to herself more than anyone else.

“That’s great sweetheart but we gotta run now” Poe said.

All three of them left the cell and started through the corridors, avoiding Stormtroopers as they went.

“Can you fly a TIE fighter?” Finn asked.

Poe nodded. “I can fly anything, but why are you helping me?”

“Cos it’s the right thing to do” Finn said.

“You need a pilot.”

“I, I need a pilot” Finn mirrored, causing Lyra to turn to both of them.

“So glad you boys could have this little chit-chat at this particular moment in time and really get to know one another. But can we get going before”

“The prisoner has escaped! Find the prisoner” the transmission interrupted her.

“That. We need to go before that.”

They picked up the pace, finally making it to the docks and made their way to the nearest TIE fighter. As Lyra went to bid them farewell, blaster shots began to fire at them, Finn climbed into the TIE fighter as Poe and Lyra took cover.

“Come with me?”

Lyra stared at him in disbelief. “What?”

“They are shooting to kill all of us, there’s nothing for you here, come with me, please.”

He took her hand in his.

“I, I can’t. My place is here with my husband.”

Poe squeezed her hand. “This place and your husband will kill you if you stay. Please come with me. I can’t have you die, not after you saved me. If nothing else, it would be such a waste of a pretty face.”

Even in the face of death the man was charming. He was right. Now the First Order knew she had helped him escape she would die if she stayed there. She hesitated for a moment, before nodding.

“Alright, I’ll come with you” she said after a long pause. 

He took her hand and pulled her back towards the TIE fighter. As they climbed up, they avoided fire from Stormtroopers who were aiming to kill Lyra as much as they were aiming for Poe. Inside the ship, she saw Finn had already taken the shooter’s seat as Poe sat in the pilot’s.

“There’s nowhere for me to”

Poe spread his legs and patted between them. “Right here sweetheart.”

She widened her eyes at him. “No, I can’t, it’s not”

More blaster fire interrupted her and before she could protest any further, he pulled her between legs and fastened the seatbelt over them.  
Finn managed to keep the Stormtroopers at bay by shooting at them while Poe started the TIE fighter up. As they broke free of the docking anchor Lyra heard a familiar voice over the dock’s main intercom.

“Stop that TIE fighter now!”

Her husband knew, and before she could process that, Poe piloted the TIE fighter out into space. His warm breath was on her neck and she could practically hear him breathing right in her ear.

“Hang on sweetheart, we gotta couple of fighters on our tail, Finn, can you deal with them?”

“Working on it.”

Just as they thought they were home-free a TIE-fighter shot them, causing the ship to spiral out of control.

“Dammit, alright guys, prepare for a bumpy landing. Lyra, hold on to me tight alright, tuck your head between my head and shoulder if you can” Poe shouted over the ship’s loss of power. Lyra did as she was told, tucking her head into Poe’s neck. If she was to die today, at least it would be with a kind, brave man. At least she wouldn’t be dying alone.

As they braced for impact, Poe closed his arms around Lyra and then there was a huge pull, as if the planet itself was pulling them closer to its core, before spiralling them over and over, sending them flying.

They landed with an unearthly loud crash, and for a moment Lyra thought they were dead, until she heard a loud ringing in her ears and the distant sound of Poe’s voice. She felt his arms close around her once more as he helped pull her out of the wreckage.  
The Resistance pilot pulled her to her feet as he tried to get her to focus. It took a few moments before his voice rose to be more than just a deep hum in her ears.

“Are you alright sweetheart?”

She nodded and watched as he scanned the area for Finn.

“I think we lost Finn. Poor buddy. Are you sure you’re alright?”

He placed his hands on either side of her arms and she nodded. 

As Poe searched around the wreckage one last time for Finn, Lyra bent down and felt the warm sand beneath her, letting it fall between her fingertips.

When Poe was sure Finn was lost to them, he turned back to her.

“Lyra! Are you sure you’re ok?”

She grinned up at him. “It feels like forever since I felt ground beneath my feet, real ground, sand, Poe. Warm sands and setting suns and not just hard metal and dark skies. Isn’t it glorious?”

He smiled at her. She might have been in shock. At least physically she was ok. Her hair had come loose from her braid and her dress and cape were damaged from the crash. Her pale skin that looked even paler against the brown sands was littered with small bruises, and yet, she was beautiful. Made even more beautiful from the pure joy that lit up her face.

“Never heard anyone describe sand as glorious but yeah, it’s pretty good now you mention it. We need to move though, we need to look for my BB unit and quick. The First Order know this planet was the last time BB was here, they will come looking for us soon.”

He helped her up and they began their search through the deserts of Jakku for Poe’s droid.

“So seriously, why did you help me escape?”

Lyra shrugged. “I told you. Because it’s the right thing to do.”

Poe smiled. “That’s really the only reason? I never knew members of the First Order believed in doing what’s good.”

In the horizon Lyra could see what looked like a trading post. The only one for miles it would seem.

“I’m not a member of the First Order. My husband is. I didn’t realise things were as bad as they are, until today, when he ordered the destruction of the Hosnian System, and innocent people.”

Poe winced, she took some comfort in the fact she wasn’t the only person that was aboard the finalizer who had the same reaction as her to such destruction.

“Yeah, that’s pretty shitty. Not gonna lie. So why did you marry such a cheery, equal opportunities loving kind of guy?”

She frowned. “He wasn’t always like that. Anyway can we, please would it be alright if we didn’t discuss him at the moment. Let’s find your droid, if he’s on this planet, he’ll be at that trading post. The sand people would have gotten their hands on him to trade by now.”

Poe watched her move with purpose, she didn’t just want to escape, she wanted to help. He couldn’t make sense of it, but he wasn’t about to complain.

“So, how does a sheltered wife of a General in the First Order know about the habits of sand people?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I read. A lot. Besides, people aboard that ship forget I’m there, so I listen to the people around me. It’s amazing what people discuss when they think you aren’t listening.”

Lyra’s eyes fell heavy as they moved closer to the outpost, all she wanted to do was lay on the hot sands and sleep. It felt surreal that only an hour ago, she was still aboard the Finalizer with her husband. She glanced down at her wedding ring, that, and his blaster were the only things she had with her to remind her of him. The ring weighed heavily on her finger as the guilt of leaving sunk through her.

As they approached the outpost Lyra felt as taken back by what she saw as the feeling of the sand between her fingers. The First Order was nothing but black and red and perfect sequences, here it was different. There were beings from every stretch of the galaxy, sand people and humans and creatures five times the size of her, but no sign of any droid. 

She followed Poe as he approached the busiest trader.

“You seen an astromech droid around here, a BB unit, small, white and orange?”

The trader regarded them before grunting a no.

“Please, you must have seen it pass through here at some point, perhaps you could tell us who did see it?” Lyra asked before Poe could stop her.

“Listen lady, I ain’t seen no BB unit. Would have sold it for scrap if I had. No BB unit has been through this way.”

Poe frowned, massaging the bridge of his nose. “That droid was the closest thing to a pet I’ve ever owned, practically my best buddy.”

Lyra placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. “Don’t worry, we will find him.”

The pilot shook his head. “No, we have to leave, we have to inform the Resistance of what’s happening. Every second we waste, the First Order could be planning their next attack. Only problem is, we have no ship anymore to get to the Resistance.”

Lyra looked out towards the markets, in the distance, there were a few ships littered around of all shapes and sizes. She leaned over towards the grizzly trader.

“We need to buy a ship.”

Poe looked at her in surprise as the trader glanced down at her wedding ring.

“For that ring you can have whatever you want. That diamond alone must be worth 30,000 credits.”

She instantly held her other hand over her ring finger and held it up to her chest. “That isn’t for sale.”

The trader shrugged and went to turn away.

“Wait! I won’t trade the ring, but I can trade this” she said, unclasping a necklace that was hidden beneath the high neck of her dress. It was a nine-pointed crystal star on a white silver necklace string. It looked as expensive as her ring.

Poe reached out to stop her. “No Lyra you can’t.”

She frowned at him. “I can and I will Mr Dameron and do not think to stop me. I got us into this mess, I feel it’s only right I try to get us out. Now choose a ship, and let’s be on our way.”

Poe raised his hands in surrender as he managed a small smile. She had a bossy side, he was beginning to like her even more.

The trader inspected the crystal and nodded. “This will do. Worth more than any of those ships anyway, take your pick.”

As the trader pocketed the necklace, Lyra made a move for the shipyard leaving Poe to follow beside her.

“You didn’t need to do that Lyra. You didn’t get me into a mess, you rescued me. I owe you, not the other way around.”

The young woman stared around at the ships on offer before giving Poe a small smile. “In any case, we aren’t helping each other if we are just waiting around here to get caught by The First Order again. Let us get somewhere safe, then we can discuss who owes who.”

Poe grinned over at her. “You might just be the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, other than General Organa of course.”

Lyra stared at him with wide eyes. “General Organa? You mean Princess Leia Organa? Luke’s sister? You know her?”

“Know her? I’m her favourite pilot” he added with a wink.

They approached a small scout ship and Poe quickly inspected it to see if it would fly them safely to the Resistance base. Lyra watched him deep in concentration for a moment as he fiddled around with the ship. He was young for someone to be so highly regarded by General Organa herself. He looked only a few years older than her, in fact, he looked the same age as Hux. How strange it was that their paths were so different. He caught her staring and winked at her again, causing her to blush and look away quickly. In the distance by the trading post, a flash of white.

Stormtroopers.

“Uhh Poe, we need to move now.”

Poe followed her gaze and saw the Stormtroopers. “Shit, ok, let’s go sweetheart.”

He reached out a hand for her to jump up into the ship and Poe closed the ship’s door after them. As he punched in the co-ordinates for where they were going, Lyra kept a close eye on the Stormtroopers. They were busy talking to the trader and just as Poe began to start up the ship, the trader pointed to them.

“Can this thing go any faster Poe, I think they might know we are here.”

Poe nodded as the ship began to lift of the ground. “Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ve never been caught during flight in my life, not about to start now.”

As their ship took off into the galaxy, Lyra took comfort in the Stormtroopers shapes growing smaller and smaller as they frantically tried to run back to their own aircraft to catch them. It was too late, they were miles ahead of them before they even took off.

“Where is the Resistance base?”

“If I told you that I might have to kill you.”

She shot him a worried look causing Poe to let out a laugh. “I’m just playing with you. The base is on D’Qar. Ever been?”

She shook her head. “To a resistance base? No, can’t say I have.”

Poe laughed again. “No smartass, I meant D’Qar. It’s a lot of green, and fog, perfect really, to keep us hidden.”

Lyra watched as they sped past planets and stars, wondering how many were being considered targets for the Star Killer weapon.

“I can’t say I’ve been anywhere with greenery for quite some time, the Finalizer wasn’t exactly a place for trees, or grass, or anything resembling nature for that matter.”

He saw her twiddle her fingers about nervously at the mention of the Finalizer. Her grip went to her wedding ring. It was a pretty ring he had to admit, more expensive than anything he could give to a lover. One large circular diamond, with two sapphires either side of it. The band itself silver. The General had not struck Poe as the sort of man who would gift a wife with such a beautiful, colourful ring. He was order and discipline and minimalism. It amazed Poe he had even managed to secure Lyra as a wife. She didn’t seem the type to only marry for money either.   
Quite the opposite. She had not complained once since Poe met her, despite her world being turned upside down in the space of a couple of hours. He had met his fair share of strange people, and even strangely matched couples, but Lyra and Hux took the cake for that title.

He would not ask her about Hux again, not now at least. She had been through enough already that day.


	4. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For any of the readers who find themselves drawn to Hux more than Poe, have no fear, he will return. I wouldn’t be so cruel as to only have him feature in two chapters before writing him off as a lost cause. You’ll just have to read on to see where he makes his next appearance. For those of you who love Poe more than the stern ginger…. Well, I think you will enjoy the next few chapters. As always, Lyra is the only thing that’s mine.

They spent the rest of the journey talking less about their personal lives and more about the Resistance. Poe informed Lyra of the missions they had undertaken and Lyra was shocked to hear how much they had accomplished right under the First Order’s nose. Either that, or Hux had not thought it appropriate to tell her.

As they approached D’Qar, Lyra suddenly felt nervous. She was the wife of a General in the First Order about to touch down on a planet teaming with rebels who would probably want to kill her at first glance. Poe noticed her breathing change and her nervous tapping on the glass of the ship.

“It’s alright you know, you have me to vouch for you. Nobody will hurt you here” he told her.

“What if they hate me?”

Poe smirked. “Hate you? You saved their most beloved pilot, they will practically be throwing flowers at your feet.”

As he landed the ship, Lyra looked out at the landing docks. There were rebels everywhere, making their way in and out of the ships and the bases. Poe docked the ship and jumped out before helping Lyra down, lifting her with ease.

“Commander Dameron, it’s good to see you in one piece.”

They turned to see General Organa smiling at Poe. He wasted no time in running to her and shaking her hand. Lyra thought it strange he didn’t bow, she was a princess after all.

“And who’s your friend?”

Poe reached behind to take Lyra’s hand and bring her forward.

“This is Lyra, General Organa. Lyra Hux.”

Lyra bowed, much to Poe’s amusement.

“Hux? The First Order’s General Hux?”

Lyra gulped down as much of her fear as she could as General Organa eyed her warily.

“Lyra isn’t her husband General. She helped me escape. If it wasn’t for her. I would be dead right now” Poe finished.

Leia stared her down for a moment longer before smiling. “If what Poe says is true, you are very brave indeed, that kind of act takes tremendous courage. I thank you for returning our commander to us safely.”

Lyra bowed again, unable to contain a smile this time. “Thank you General Organa, your highness, your majesty?”

Leia, apparently just as charming as Poe, winked at her. “General will be just fine. I assume you will be staying with us then?”

Lyra rose again and switched looks between Poe and Leia. “Well General, yes, if that’s alright with you? I have nowhere else to go now.”

“She can stay in the room down the hall from me” Poe interjected, a little too eagerly, causing that blush to creep up on Lyra’s face once more.

Leia nodded. “Careful Poe, think I just saw some drool on your chin. As long as Lyra is fine with you breathing over her like that, she’s welcome to stay there.”

This time it was Poe’s turn to blush and he turned like a small dog with its tail between its legs to show Lyra to her room.

“The General likes to joke around like that, you get used to it, even when she’s embarrassing you” he told her as they walked through the main base.

Lyra laughed softly. “That’s quite alright, she makes a welcome change from the Generals I’m used to.”

Lyra watched as the rebels around her eyed her cautiously. Word couldn’t possibly have gone around so quickly as to who she was, so she supposed the stares were because of her attire.  
Most of the women around her wore pants and tunics, not dresses worth a couple thousand credits. She had nothing with her, and even if she had managed to pack a few of her things, her entire wardrobe would have made her standout amongst the women at the base.

Poe passed a few people he knew, greeting them excitedly as they walked past. Finally they reached the living quarters and Poe showed Lyra her room. It was a lot smaller than her shared chambers with Hux. Just enough room for a bed, a small wardrobe and a desk and an even smaller bathroom in the adjoining room. It felt cosy though and the windows looked out onto the grassy knolls surrounding the planet. It wasn’t just stars and darkness.

“Sorry it’s probably not what you’re used to but it’s all I can offer you. We use most of the credits we get on supplies for the Resistance, ammo, transport, things like that.”

Lyra shook her head as she smiled at him.

“No, don’t worry, it’s fine. Cosy.”

Poe grinned at her. “You really aren’t what I was expecting.”

She crossed her arms. “Just what were you expecting Mr Dameron?”

He leaned against the doorframe, admiring her.

“I don’t know, a spoilt princess maybe, or a whiny child. Not someone who would sell an expensive necklace for a man she barely knows to help the resistance.”

The smile left her face and for a moment he thought he had deeply offended her.  
“I’ve found that people can surprise you every day, no matter how long they have been in your life.”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, they can. I’m sorry today must have been hard for you. Oh and Lyra, call me Poe, not Mr Dameron. I don’t know who that guy is but it doesn’t sound like me. Besides, I think we’re past that now right? Listen I’ll let you get settled in and come check on you in a while ok? Maybe introduce you to some people.”

As he turned to leave she stopped him.  
“I hate to ask this of you but, might you have any clothes I can borrow? I think this dress has seen better days and besides, it’s not exactly rebel uniform.”

Poe giggled as he went to his room to fetch her some clothes.  
He handed her a small pile of things. “Probably way too big for you but we can have them taken in on base. I’ll leave you to it.”

As she took the clothes, her hand touched his gently and she met his eyes.

“Thank you Poe, not just for this but for everything.”

He shrugged off her thanks. “It’s me who should be thanking you. My knight in a shining, beautiful, very expensive albeit it entirely impractical dress.”

With that he left her to get settled into her new room. Her new home. Her home until the First Order found her and had her killed. She carried a small radio on her at all times that could dial through to her husband, but she had turned it off when she planned to free Poe. Just like he had when he planned the attack on Hosnian Prime.

She toyed with the idea of radioing through to him, just to let him know she was safe, that she was alive. She wasn’t sure if that would please him, or aggravate him more. Deciding against it, she placed the radio on her desk and stripped off before getting into the small shower.

The water was warm against her skin. It seemed to wash away the aches from the bruises the crash had inflicted upon her. After washing her entire body, she stood in the shower a while longer, the water hitting her body seemed to be the loudest sound in the world to her and she was suddenly hit with the realization of her actions. 

She had run away from her husband and with that, her entire life as she knew it. No home, no husband, no First Order, no plan. She was as good a rebel and her very life was in danger. If she went back to Armitage now he might spare her. He might be able to persuade the First Order to spare her, she would have to live without him back in Naboo but she might have been spared.

Or maybe he would want a divorce after she brought him such shame. She clutched her ring again as tears escaped her eyes, falling with the rest of the water to the ground. She could scarcely remember a life without Armitage. They had been betrothed since she was 19, he was practically all she knew. She loved him. Despite it all she loved him and walking away from him had been the hardest thing she had ever done, but he had hurt her more than anyone had ever hurt her. Besides that, he didn’t want her, he wanted her back on Naboo, away from him. What if he didn’t just want to divorce her? What if her leaving him had cut him so deep he wanted her dead? What if Snoke had turned him to the dark side so much he would kill her for not believing in the First Order? 

She could hardly stand it, the thought of him hating her, the thought of him not even loving her anymore. She wiped her tears away and stepped out of the shower. 

She put on a pair of Poe’s black pants and tucked one of his plain white shirts in. He was right, they were a little big on her but she managed to temporarily secure it with some of the pins that were left in her hair, leaving her hair to fall past her shoulders, un-styled. She couldn’t remember the last time her hair wasn’t styled into some elaborate plait or form. Looking into the mirror in the bathroom she barely recognised herself. A shadow of the girl she had grown into these past six years.

She picked up her radio again and against her better judgement, turned it on. She didn’t say anything, stuttering to find words to say to her husband.

“Lyra? Lyra is that you? Lyra darling can you hear me?”

Tears stung her eyes again as she heard Hux’s voice on the other end. He must have heard her breathing.

“Armitage, have you had this channel open the whole time?”

“Stars you’re alive, oh thank the stars you’re alive. Lyra where are you?”

She could have sworn he was crying himself. His voice wavered, threatening to break with each strained word. 

“I’m safe Tij, I’m alright.”

“Where are you? I can come and bring you home, Lyra please, come home. Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”

She wiped her tears away but more fell in their place. “I can’t come back Tij, I’ll be killed for what I’ve done.”

He paused for a moment before speaking again. “No, no I won’t let anybody hurt you but you need to come home now, before any more trouble is caused. I can stop this now if you come home, please.”

She let out a whimper. A part of her wanted to let him know where she was, to return to him. But it wasn’t just about her anymore. Poe would be killed, along with the rest of the Resistance if she led the First Order right to their front door. All that aside, she knew even Hux could not dissuade Snoke if he decided on her death.

“I can’t Tij, I don’t, I don’t belong there anymore.”

This time, she knew he was crying, he let out a noise of frustration as his voice broke. “No, no Lyra please, your place is with me, you belong with me. Stop this madness now. Please, I need you. ”

Her cheeks were wet with her tears now as they fell without pause. “I can’t. I’m so sorry Tij, I, I love you.”

Before he could protest, she turned the radio off once more and hid it in one of the desk drawers and wiped her tears away before waiting for Poe to return for her. Lyra had thankfully composed herself when he finally did knock for her.

As she opened the door to him he smiled at his baggy clothes on her before noticing her eyes were slightly red.

“Are you alright?”

“Fine, thank you. It just took a while to adjust to the new surroundings.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll bet, it’s a lot to take in for you. Listen, you need a nice meal and a good night’s sleep so I don’t want to keep you too long. I just thought it might help to get to know some friendly faces around here while we grab a bite to eat. Is that ok with you? If you don’t want to I totally understand.”

Not an order, a question. She felt a sense of ease at his gentleness, like she had known him as a good friend for a long time. 

“That sounds perfect, now come on my charming pilot, lead the way” she smiled as took the arm he held out for her. 

The canteen was busier than the docks were and again, unlike the First Order, the rebels came in all shapes, sizes and races and Lyra smiled nervously as Poe led her to a table with a few father colourful characters sat at it. 

“Lyra, I want you to meet Nien” Poe said, pointing to a male Sullustan. “Ello” he motioned to a friendly looking male Abednedo. “Snap” he said indicating a human male. “And Jess and finally Kaydel” Poe smiled as he finally pointed to two human women.

“Pleased to meet you all” Lyra smiled as she sat next to Ello and Jess. 

“I’ll get us some food, you guys, be nice to her, she’s new and nervous” Poe said as he went looking for food.

Ello and Nien seemed to stare at her curiously as the man named Snap eyed her cautiously. 

“So, you’re the main General of the First Order’s wife huh? Word travels pretty fast around here” Kaydel smiled at her.

“So like, did they force you to marry him and you finally escaped? Is that why you’re here?” Jess asked eagerly. 

She shook her head. “No, not exactly.”

“Then why are you here? If you chose to marry into the First Order, why are you here helping us, are you a spy?”

“Easy Snap, if Poe trusts her she can’t be all bad. Give the girl a break, and a chance to explain herself” Kaydel replied.

Lyra gave Kaydel a small nod in thanks and proceeded to defend herself. “I knew Poe needed help. I couldn’t stand by and watch him get hurt. Then I saw the extent of the First Order’s vision of a united galaxy. United under fear and hate, and I couldn’t be a part of that anymore. The truth is, I don’t know what my plan is. Or how I even fit into this war, but I just did what I thought was right and it’s led me here.”

Everyone but Snap smiled and as Poe returned with food, Snap continued his interrogation. 

“So you have no loyalty to anyone? Not even us? How do we know you won’t betray us to the First Order?”

Poe frowned. “Alright that’s enough Snap. The poor girl only left everything she knew a few hours ago. She’s scared, and alone and upset so will you cut her some damn slack? If General Leia says she can stay then do you really want to argue with her judgment and mine?”

Snap put his hands up in surrender and shot Lyra a sympathetic look. “Sorry, we just have to be careful with who we trust around here.”

Lyra nodded and bent her head to eat her food in peace. Poe gave Snap a warning look as he saw Lyra was visibly upset. 

“Well, in any case, leaving your home like that was very brave” Nien said, making Lyra feel a little more comfortable.

“Yeah, and escaping a ship teeming with Stormtroopers isn’t an easy task either” Jess said.

Ello began to talk in his native language and Lyra looked at Poe for guidance.

“He agrees with Jess, he says what you did was brave. He thinks you are worthy of being a member of my squadron, the Black Squadron.”  
Lyra had never met an Abednedo before, and she wondered how many languages Poe could speak, seeing as he must have understood binary code too to understand his missing BB droid too. She smiled at Ello.

“It sounds like it’s been a long day for you and Poe, we’ll leave you to your food. But if you need anyone to show you around, all of us would be happy to help, wouldn’t we guys” Kaydel asked.

To Lyra’s surprise, they were all in agreement, even Snap, albeit more reluctant than the others. She smiled at them all as they left her and Poe alone to eat. She glanced down at the food Poe had brought for her. It was a stew of some sorts with fresh vegetables and a meat she had thought was best not to question. It was a real, home cooked meal, just like she had been craving for months now. Poe noticed her eyes close in enjoyment as she took another bite of the stew.

“They don’t have good food aboard the Finalizer?”

She finished the bite quickly, embarrassed he had been watching her eat and shook her head. “Not like this.”

Poe nudged her affectionately. “Hey so, I’m sorry about Snap. He’s a good guy, really he is. He almost lost his wife to the First Order when they took her prisoner. It was only cos of my Squadron getting there on time for a rescue mission that she survived so he’s a little, touchy when it comes to new people.”

Lyra nodded. “Your Squadron, are they still together?”

Poe’s face fell as he thought about it. “Kind of. There was a spy in our ranks so we had to disband for a while. Got so bad none of us could trust each other, even though before that, we would have entrusted each other with our lives, but those remaining are loyal to the cause.”

“That’s very sad. But now I understand why he was so, prickly. The spy, did you find out who betrayed you?”

Poe looked at her with the same look he had given Hux when brought aboard the Finalizer. “Yeah. We found out who it was. Cost us a lot, but we caught him. The Squadron was never the same after that though, everyone had their own part to play against the First Order. It’s been just me and BB-8 together for most of my missions since.”

Lyra returned his shoulder nudge. “And now you have me to help.”

Poe held her stare. “Yeah, now I have you.”

The rest of the evening they spent talking about each other’s lives and Lyra was amazed at everything Poe had achieved in such a small amount of time. He had completed countless missions for the Resistance, saved so many lives, intercepted so many of the First Order’s messages and thwarted many of their plans that had delayed Starkiller’s completion. 

Poe walked her back to her room after dinner and leaned against the wall as she opened her door. 

“So, tomorrow morning at 8, there’s a briefing for what to do next against the First Order, do you want to come along? You don’t have to get involved or kill anyone or anything. Just might be a good idea, to see what we do. If that isn’t too much too soon?” he told her.

“No, I want to, I want to help. I want to earn my place here as much as everyone else has. I’ll be there. Until tomorrow Poe.”

“Sleep well Lyra. If you need anything, anything at all, you know where my room is. Just knock for me, whenever, whatever hour, I’ll be there ok?”

“Thank you Poe. Goodnight” she nodded before closing the door behind her. 

As she undressed for bed, she heard the sounds of people outside by the docks, talking and laughing. She was so used to the silence on the Finalizer at this time of night, hearing people laugh without the worry of a senior officer asking them to be quiet and move along was a welcome sound. Climbing into bed knowing she would not hear Armitage Hux’s footsteps enter the room or his soft breathing against her ear later that evening was not a welcome sound though. 

While they rarely went to bed at the same time, she had grown used to waking up when he did return to her in the early hours of the morning to hold him close. That comfort was now lost to her and she would sleep alone from now on, a realization sad enough to bring a few more tears to her eyes.

“Goodnight Armitage” she whispered into the night as she settled herself down into her small bed and waited for sleep to claim her. 

Somewhere in the distance on-board the Finalizer, Armitage Hux bid his wife goodnight too.


	5. The First Mission: Part One

When Poe knocked for Lyra the next morning she was still halfway through getting ready. Her hair looked a little wilder seeing as she had nothing to tame it with other than one old hairbrush. Her eyes looked less glassy than before, the shock of yesterday was clearly wearing off, even her pale skin had gathered some colour in her cheeks. She was still thin though, Poe noticed her weight, or rather, lack of as she tried to tighten his pants around her. He stepped closer to her and pulled out a pin of his own.

“Here, let me, I found this pin, might work better, may I?”

She nodded and he put his arms around her to reach around the back to secure the pin in place. She blushed at the close contact of him and he smirked at her. “Sorry, lemme just, move my head” he said, putting his head under her arm as he looked around at her back to get a better view of where the pin was going.

She giggled as he manoeuvred awkwardly around her until finally he fit the pin in place.

“There we go, I look good on you, I mean, the pants, my pants look good on you, I mean, you know, I just mean you look good. Good to go, yeah, ok, just gonna stumble through this sentence until you stop me”.

Lyra laughed, thankful she wasn’t the only one blushing in this situation. “Thank you Poe, now let’s go, we don’t want to be late for the General’s meeting” she winked at him.

Back home on the Finalizer, Lyra was convinced her husband was the only one who ever worked every hour of the day, given how little she saw of him but here in the resistance, no matter what time it was, it always seemed to be busy. People bustled around from every corner of the base, new faces turned up every day and faces she recognised from the day before took off in x-wings most likely off to carry out important missions for the General and her fleet. People were not afraid to greet each other as friends here, they stopped to talk and eat and socialise together, Lyra even spotted a few couples embracing each other warmly. She had almost forgotten how free people lived.

In the General’s meeting room around 40 rebels gathered to hear her speak, including Ello and Kaydel. Poe and Lyra took their places next to them and listened as Leia discussed the Resistance’s next move.

“Our biggest problem right now is those who trade with the First Order. In order to cut off the First Order’s power, we need to cut out their resources and right now their resources come from the people who make their weapons and ships. The First Order are making these people very rich indeed, and where do the richest people in the galaxy currently gather to throw away money?”

“Canto Bight” Lyra whispered only loud enough that Poe could hear.

“The coastal city of Canto Bight, located in Cantonica. Right now a man who goes by the name Pash Aryss is the biggest supplier of TIE fighters we know. If he was to be cut off from the First Order, they would practically lose a lifeline. But there’s just one problem, Pash’s suite in Canto Bight is heavily guarded. The security is high-tech and then you have guards posted all around the casino, which means going in all guns blazing would make this mission impossible. It has to be a covert mission.”

Without thinking Lyra raised her hand. “I’ll do it.”

All heads turned to her and she suddenly felt her heart fall to her stomach. Even Poe frowned at her.

Leia however, smirked at Lyra’s eagerness. “You know how to hack complex systems?”

Lyra nodded. “I believe so. I taught myself years ago yes ma’am.”

Poe went to speak against it but Leia held a hand up to stop him.

“You think you know how to hack these systems?”

Lyra shrugged. “I know Canto Bight fairly well, I know what system interfaces they use yes, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, seeing as it’s not a military base or warship.”

“It’s likely every First Order member is actively looking for this girl right now, if it’s a covert mission, how can she possibly slip in anywhere unnoticed?” A voice from the crowd asked.

Lyra scoffed. “Please, if you know the First Order like I do, they rarely have any time to go anywhere as frivolous as Canto Bight, the last time I went there was 2 years ago. Besides, dress me up into something more, suitable for Canto Bight and nobody would recognise me.”

Leia nodded. “I know what it’s like to wear a mask to get what you need.”

The young woman smiled at Leia’s approval.

Poe finally interjected. “No way, it’s far too dangerous for a first mission, she only got here yesterday General, you can’t be serious?”

Lyra frowned at him. “Then go with me. Two minds are better than one. Listen, I can do this, I know the kinds of people that reside on Canto Bight, I know how to talk to them, I know how to have them wrapped around my finger by the end of the night. They are nothing but expensive drink and empty compliments and if you feed them just that, they buy into it. If a fight breaks out, though I highly doubt it, I’ll have you to help.”

Poe shook his head. “Lyra this mission is dangerous. It’s too much for a first attempt, please don’t put yourself in this much danger.”

“Remember what I said on Jakku? I can and I will, and don’t try to stop me. I would appreciate your help on this mission Poe but if you don’t want to, that’s fine. I’ll do it alone, or with someone else. General Organa, permission to accept this task?”

Leia paused, looking between her and Poe before nodding. “Permission granted Lyra. And take Poe with you, I’m not having him mope around waiting for you to get back.”

The young woman nodded eagerly as she shot the General another smile.

As the meeting came to a finish, Poe followed Lyra as she went outside.

“You know, I totally understand why you want to do this, I know what it’s like to want to prove yourself to new people, but this is gonna be really dangerous Lyra. More dangerous than escaping the First Order. Your husband won’t be there to cease fire if they start shooting this time. These people won’t care who you are married to.”

Lyra looked back at him. “You don’t think I can do this?”

He held her gaze. “I didn’t say that. I said it would be dangerous and you could get yourself killed.”

“I could have gotten myself killed yesterday when I rescued you and you weren’t telling me not to help then.”

Poe followed her as she went to get some food in the canteen.

“That was a move now, think later situation. This is different. It’s too much for your first mission.”

She turned on her heel to face him off.

“You listen and you listen now Poe. All my life I’ve been told what I can and can’t do, where my place is, where I fit, what I’m capable of doing as a woman and in the space of a day, I have done more than I ever thought I was capable of. It’s hardly a coincidence that the day after I show up at this Resistance base is the day a mission perfectly tailored to me comes up. I know I am the one best suited for this mission and I know I can succeed. If you don’t want to help me that’s fine. I understand. But if you do help me, I need you to trust me and trust that I can do this. Please. I just need you to believe in me.”

Poe’s hard gaze softened as he saw how important this was to her. He hated to admit it, hell he wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she was right. She could hack the systems, she could fool the people of Canto Bight that she was one of them. She just needed to stay confident in that ability, and by the sounds of things, she hadn’t exactly been surrounded by those who would raise her and her abilities up from the ground.

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. You said you needed a disguise, I’ll send for someone to get it. Meanwhile we need to memorise Canto Bight’s escape routes, entrances, guard posts, every possible way in and out of that casino. We leave tomorrow night.”

She beamed up at him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you Poe. Thank you for trusting me with this.”

He nodded. “No problem. If you die, I’m bringing you back to kill you myself alright?”

She moved away from him as she laughed gently. “Deal.”

***

They spent the rest of the day memorising Canto Bight’s layout, as well as the security systems in place there. Poe sent for someone to have disguises brought to them and as they ate, he brought up the topic of who they were covering as.

“So, how do you want to do this? Do you want to go as friends, siblings, lovers?”

She raised her eyebrow at him. “On Canto Bight there are no friends, only people you wish to steal money from, or do business with, or more commonly, both at exactly the same time.”

“So siblings or lovers. I gotta tell you, I don’t think I could pass as your brother.”

“But you could pass as my lover?”

Poe shrugged, leaning back to rest his head on his elbows. “I don’t know, you tell me sweetheart.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are so charming I dare say you could even coax my husband into being your lover.”

Poe scrunched his nose up. “Nah, too tight-laced. I could never get him to loosen up in the bedroom.”

Lyra laughed and bent her head to study the casino’s layout once more. “You would be surprised as to how much he can let loose when he wants to.”

Poe scrunched his nose up again. “Alright, alright, I do not want to spend the rest of the day talking about your husband’s bedroom tactics. So that’s settled then, I’m your lover? On this mission I mean, of course.”

Lyra crossed her arms. “I don’t remember settling that.”

Poe smirked. “Well then, what do you suggest?”

Lyra tapped her pen against the table, thinking about it for a moment.

“I think husband is better. The residents at Canto Bight flirt with anything that moves and at least if they get too, handsy, I can say my husband is watching them.”

Poe leaned forward, wiggling his eyebrows flirtatiously. “Well, we can’t have that can we? If you were my wife, I wouldn’t share you with those lowlife wannabe playboys any day.”

Colour crept up into Lyra’s cheeks once more. “I’m surprised anything else can fit into that head of yours with all the room taken up there devoted to charm.”

Poe shot her another wink. “Oh you would be surprised how many skills I have tucked away up in this mind.”

She let out an exasperated breath before a young, Togruta woman approached them.  
“Sorry to interrupt but, I have put together identities for you both for the mission. If you’d like to follow me, I can brief you on them” she told them.

“After you, dearest wife” Poe said, standing up to follow the Togruta woman.

They followed the rebel Togruta into a large room filled with resistance uniforms as well as a few racks of various clothes. There were a couple of other rebels busy making new uniforms and Lyra stared back at Poe in disbelief.

“Did you know this room existed? If so, then why am I wearing your clothes? I could have had my own uniform made?”

Poe smirked. “But you look so good in my clothes, besides, I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too many Resistance things too early on.”

The Togruta woman coughed to catch their attention. “With this playful bickering, I’m assuming you are going as husband and wife? Poe, you will be attending the Casino as Dain Drexel and Lyra, you are going as his wife, Maris. You are a young couple from Cloud City who made your money by training up and trading Stormtroopers and you have come to Canto Bight for the weekend to gamble in a different city for once.”

Lyra frowned. “So, we are slave traders effectively. Brilliant, this should be fun” she remarked sarcastically. 

Poe tutted at her. “Easy Lyra, I mean, Maris, you have to get into character and fast. That means no pity, no remorse and keep that sarcasm for charming the other guests at Canto Bight with your brains, wit and beauty.”

As the Togruta woman handed them their disguises, Lyra chuckled. “If I’m going to be the charming, sarcastic one, where does that leave you?”

Poe put a hand on his heart as if wounded. “And just when I thought we were getting close, the insults keep coming today, everything ok?”

Lyra took a step towards Poe and sighed. “I’m sorry, I just, really want to get this right. I don’t mean to snap.”

He rest a hand on her shoulder gently. “We will get it right. I owe you for yesterday remember? I’m not gonna let you get hurt, not on my watch at least.”

The Togruta woman rolled her eyes. “Just let me know if there are any issues with the clothes, lovebirds. You have until tomorrow afternoon to get anything fixed.”

Lyra spent most of the evening trying to teach Poe how to talk to the people of Canto Bight, much to his dismay. Poe clearly thought his charm could get him through every situation, and when that failed, guns would work. Lyra had tried to explain to him that the people of Canto Bight cared about nothing but money. Jealousy or rashness had no place in those casinos. The visitors on Canto Bight would sell out their friends, partners, even their closest allies all for the sake of winning big. She had learnt that when her and Hux had last been there 2 years ago. A man had grown too close to Lyra with his endless flirting and Hux had reacted, not very well. It had lost them a deal with one of the biggest weapons dealers at the time. 

Lyra had tended to Hux’s wounds that night, when he had returned from a meeting with Supreme Leader Snoke who had proved Hux’s failure would not go unpunished. Since then she had learnt, the rich elite from Canto Bight did not react well to the word no. Poe would have to be willing to let a lot slide for the mission to succeed.

They retired to bed in the early hours of the morning after going over the plans again and again, only to wake up early the next day to go through them until they felt as if they had exhausted every option available to them.   
In the evening, it was time for them to leave.

The Resistance secured them the fanciest looking ship they could get, which wasn’t saying much and they met in the docking area, after changing into their disguises. Poe didn’t look much different, he had the luxury of just being able to wear a deep blue suit and wear his hair slicked back, but then, the people of Canto Bight wouldn’t recognise Poe. Even if they knew listed members of the resistance, it wasn’t as if they would ever expect the Resistance to show up in a city full of rich people who traded with the First Order.

Lyra on the other hand, was a different matter. None of them knew what lengths the First Order had already gone to, to Lyra found and returned to face their wrath, for all they knew, the First Order could be searching for her on Canto Bight and so her disguise would have to be a little more thorough.

Poe’s breath caught in his throat as he caught a glance of her as she approached the dock. She was wearing a light aqua coloured wig with a little headpiece in the shape of some sort of reptilian animal on one side of her head. Her dress was nothing like the one she wore when she had helped him escape. It was sleeveless, black and practically sheer where the skirts billowed out around her. The chest cut into a V shape, that finished just above her bellybutton. He could see the outline of her pale thighs beneath the thin material and the material seemed to shine as it turned in the dim light of the sunset. The makeup around her eyes was almost worn like a mask, a thin veil of grey and deep blue running from one temple to the other.

She felt ashamed as she walked, not remembering the last time she wore something so, provocative. As she approached him, she sighed, trying not to focus on the other rebel’s curious glances over at her.

“I feel like a show fathier, not to mention….. practically naked. This is awful.”

Poe continued to stare at her, his mouth open as he gawped at her.

“Poe! Say something, please.”

He took his eyes away from her body and met her eyes. “Sorry, you look, you look beautiful.”

She playfully reached up to close his mouth. “Thank you, but do I look like me?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think the First Order would recognise you, if that’s what you mean, but you are kind of unforgettable and in that dress, you’re just, I mean, wow.”

His eyes tried desperately not to trail downwards and she giggled. “I know you are trying to be very nice and complimentary and I appreciate that, really I do but I’m not sure that’s giving me the best confidence boost in the world, given that it is meant to be a disguise.”

He held his arm out to her and helped her up into the ship, as he closed the doors behind them he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.  
“They won’t see you coming, I promise. Everything will be ok, besides, while you might be the most stunning being in the galaxy to me, Canto Bight is full of women trying to look their best, and they won’t have your modesty, just stick close to me. We have these ear pieces, so we can talk to each other in case we need to separate. I’ll be with you every step of the way Lyra.”

She managed to give him a small smile in an attempt to mask her fears. “Maris, remember.”

He rolled his eyes. “Why do you get the normal name and I sound like some sort of children’s storybook character?”

They sat down next to each other and Poe started the ship up. “I don’t know, I think Dain Drexel sounds rather dashing.”

“More dashing than Poe Dameron?”

“I highly doubt anybody is more dashing than Poe Dameron.”


	6. The First Mission: Part Two

Canto Bight was as busy as it ever was. Clearly the First Order had been hard at work trading with the weapons and ship dealers as more and more seemed to gather in the city to throw their money away. As they stepped out of the ship, Poe placed a hand on Lyra’s back making her gasp suddenly, she felt more on edge than ever before in her life. Escaping the First Order had been daunting enough but she hadn’t exactly had time to think about it. This mission was different. Every move had to be thought out in advance. Lyra only hoped she was good enough for the challenge.

“Easy, everything’s going to be alright. Let’s just take it slow, first things first, we have to figure out how to disable the security systems to Pash Aryss’s suite. How long do you think we have once that’s done to get in, capture Aryss and slip him out the back unnoticed as our prisoner?”

Lyra leaned in closer to Poe to whisper in his ear. To everyone else, it simply looked like a woman doting on her lover. “About 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how attentive the guards are. It’s the guards on the casino floor we need to be careful around, they are the ones watching for anything suspicious.”

Poe nodded and took her hand in his own as they walked into the casino. He made sure to clock the guards as they walked in. 3 to the east on the ground floor, 3 to the west, 2 in the North leading to the main bar and 2 in the south guarding the entrance. 2 guards patrolling the observation deck on the second floor. The second floor, that’s where Aryss’s suite was located. The security systems would most likely be out of the way of the casino, downstairs perhaps, away from the suite. They scouted the area, looking for Aryss, stopping occasionally to gamble on the slot machines so to not raise suspicion.

Finally, Lyra caught sight of him. He was sat at the high stakes table as she thought he would be, surrounded by beautiful women.

“Poe, he’s there, I’m sure that’s him, Leia said blonde hair, aging, silver cane and most likely betting high stakes right?” She whispered in his ear.

Poe nodded and led her to the high stakes table. When they reached it, he sat down and pulled Lyra into his lap. She tried not to act shocked at the sudden burst of intimacy between them both and instead steadied herself in his grip by leaning back and placing an arm around him lazily. Immediately, Aryss noticed the young couple join his table and he shot Lyra a smirk, ignoring that she was clearly there with another. One of Poe’s hands rested on her thigh protectively causing Lyra’s breath to shorten.

“The beautiful woman who just sat at the end of my table, what’s your name beautiful?”

It was Aryss, talking to her directly.

“Maris sir, Maris Drexel, and this is my husband Dain”.

Aryss didn’t even look over at Poe. Instead, he kept his predatory eyes on Lyra as the other women around him tried to get his attention focused back on them by looking as sultry as possible.

“Well Maris, would you be an angel and blow on my dice, for good luck?”

She nodded and Poe watched closely as she stepped over to Aryss to oblige his request. Jealousy flooded his body as he watched the aging trader ogle over his companion without shame. It was bad enough she had a husband out there looking for her but now this creep thought he could have a turn as well, and while Poe was sat right there. He tried to stay composed as Aryss whispered something in Lyra’s ear that caused her to widen her eyes in shock and return to Poe quickly.

“If you will excuse me, I must go to freshen up, Dain you stay here, win something for me” Lyra said, standing up again.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to escort you my love?”

She shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine.”

He reached up and kissed her neck ever so gently. “Don’t leave me too long.”

Taken back by his kiss, she stared at him for a moment before nodding and stepping away. As she walked around the casino searching for any sign of hidden rooms, by the east wing, she noticed a set of stairs leading down and made her way over to the guards standing there.

“Gentlemen, I believe there’s a rather drunk guest proceeding to hit the slot machines to retrieve his lost money over there in the back. I would both go if I were you, he’s rather hands on” she told them. 

When she was sure they were gone, she made her way down the stairs and turned her earpiece on.

“Poe, I think I’ve found one of the security systems and I think it’s the one we need access to. You keep Aryss busy while I get the systems down, alright?”

When he didn’t answer, she assumed it was because he couldn’t without alerting Aryss. She crept by silently until she finally reached the security room. Inside there were countless panels and wires connecting to each other. Lyra stood there, cross examining them to try to figure out which ones were linked to Aryss’s suite.

“Ok, so, these ones link to the main systems on the ground floor which means…” she moved to the panels hidden on the other side of the room. “These must be the ones linked to upstairs. Now, I just need to figure out which ones lead to the suite and not just the observation deck.”

She kept her earpiece on to listen out for any message Poe was sending through. Finally, after another painfully slow five minutes, she managed to find out which wires linked to Aryss’ systems.

“Alright Poe, keep him busy, because here comes the hard part. I just need to reroute the systems so the security cameras play on a loop to avoid any suspicion from the guards, and then figure out how to rewire the system so the touch panel on the suite door is down. Then we can slip into his suite and wait for him to come to us.”

Watching her coding machine to see which codes aligned with the ones linked on Aryss’ systems, she waited for a match and then…

“Bingo! The security systems are down, now to just put the cameras on a loop aaand, that’s it, I’m in. Poe, meet me upstairs in five minutes and make sure you aren’t followed.”

Lyra grinned as she left the security room and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the guards from before had not yet returned. The casino was still in full swing, in-fact it seemed even busier than when they both arrived. As Lyra moved up the stairs she heard Poe through her earpiece.

“Lyra wait, he’s coming up the stairs now!”

Before she could answer another voice cut in.

“If it isn’t the beautiful Maris, I was starting to think you had run away from me for good.”

Lyra turned to see Pash Aryss stood there at the bottom of the stairs, watching her with another smirk that seemed to drill right into her. 

“Oh, no, just having a sneaky look around” Lyra retorted.

She tried to look around for Poe without it being obvious. If he came to her now the whole mission could be put in jeopardy.

“Hmm, I would argue it looks as though you were trying to find my private suite” Aryss smirked.

She tried not to look physically disgusted at him practically undressing her with his eyes.  
“You have a suite here?”

She had to play dumb, it was the only way to get him to take the bait. Unless, unless he already knew, unless the guards had already alerted him?

“Yes my dear, I’d be glad to show you. If you would just follow me there.”

A part of her feared he already knew and was trying to get her alone in order to silence her. Or maybe it had worked, maybe everything was falling into place and Aryss was just at the right place at the right time.

She had to risk it. If it worked, she would have succeeded the mission. Poe would be proud, Leia would be proud. If it wasn’t a mission to help the Resistance she daresay even her husband would be proud of her.

She took his arm as she flirtatiously leaned against him. “Well, one could hardly turn down such an offer, please, lead the way.”

She took another look around the casino for Poe and spotted him at the bottom of the stairs by one of the slot machines, watching under the guise of gambling. As her and Aryss turned to go to the suite, she shot him a signal to stay away and followed the TIE fighter trader down the hall.

“So, what brings such a beautiful creature to Canto Bight and into my clutches?”

“My husband and I deal in Stormtroopers, we just procured a large amount and sold them off to the First Order, so we were in the mood to celebrate.”

She shot a nervous glance at Aryss’s hand as he leaned down to press it down on the security pad to allow entrance into his suite. Thankfully he was so fixated on Lyra, he didn’t notice the door opened up regardless of his handprint.

“The First Order? You do business with them too, boring bunch of folks aren’t they? They don’t care for the pleasures this galaxy has to offer at all” Aryss said as the door closed behind them.

Lyra walked to his desk and leaned against it.

“Oh yes, very boring. You wouldn’t catch any of them gambling away their fortune. They are all rules and regulations.”

She watched as the man poured them two glasses of some sort of silver liquid, making sure he didn’t slip anything in and smiled as he passed her a drink.

“You look like you know how to have a good time” he added with another smirk.

“Yes, I do. But you know, you haven’t once asked about my husband.”

Aryss shrugged. “That’s because I don’t care, you’re here with me, not him. Which means you weren’t looking for his company tonight, you were looking for mine.”

As he stepped closer she moved away slightly, suddenly frighteningly aware she was alone with a man she didn’t know, and without Poe there, how was she meant to kidnap him? She could hardly take him down herself, he was at least a foot taller than her. She was pulled out of that sudden thought when he leaned in to kiss her and she was forced to move away from him again.

“What’s going on? You practically begged to get me alone and now you move away. What’s your game?”

She shook her head. “Oh, no games, I just, I realised I should get back to my husband before he gambles all of our money away. You see, I’m the lucky one, he’s frightfully bad at gambling really, should never be left alone with too much money for too long.”

Aryss suddenly trapped her between himself and the desk and gripped her arm forcibly.  
“I can pay you back whatever he loses, really it’s no trouble.”

She shook her head again. “Oh, no, I couldn’t ask you to do that, please, let me go.”

The look in Aryss’s eyes changed and he frowned as his grip on her arm tightened.

“No is not a word I am partial to hearing.”

Manipulation be damned, Lyra had grown tired of being pushed around by others, and something in her switched.

“And it’s the one I’m giving you nevertheless, let me go. Now.”

He went to kiss her and she pulled away just in time, slapping him in the jaw in retaliation.

“You bitch. How dare you, you worthless whore.”

Before she could react he pushed her onto the desk and wrapped his hands around her throat, cutting off her air supply.

“I’ll have you and your husband killed for your insolence you little bitch. Sneaking around trying to get my attention and then trying to walk away when I give it.”

His grip tightened around her throat and she clawed at his fingers as he strangled her, trying to call Poe’s name through the earpiece, but no words came out.

She looked around frantically for something to pry him off her, and there, to the side of her she saw a sharp looking letter opener. Acting on instinct as she felt colour begin to fade from her line of vision, she picked it up and drove it into his neck.

His grip on her neck vanished and she gasped for breath. As air returned to her lungs she watched in horror as Aryss stepped backwards, blood spurting from his neck. He pulled the letter opener out and went to speak, but nothing other than blood left his mouth. He stared at her a moment longer before falling to the ground with a loud thud.

“By the stars, he’s dead. No, no. Poe, Poe are you there? Poe, come quickly” she said, hoping Poe could hear her. 

Lyra slumped down against the desk and watched Aryss’s lifeless eyes, it looked as if he was staring right at her even in death. Her hands shook and she looked down at them, unable to process she had used them to end someone else’s life. 

A few moments later, Poe burst into the suite. He knelt down and cupped her face in his hands. “Lyra, by the stars Lyra, are you alright? Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “Poe, he, he tried to kill me, I couldn’t get him off me, I didn’t know what to do. I just reached for something sharp and tried to get him away.”

Poe stroked her cheek softly as he looked between her and Aryss’s dead body.

“It’s alright sweetheart, you did what you had to, but we need to leave now alright? Can you stand?”

She nodded, taking his hands as he helped her stand up.

“Lyra listen to me, we have to go now, we have to get out of here alright? Just, follow me and try to stay calm” Poe said.

Still holding her hand, he led her out of the suite and through the casino. As they approached the entrance Poe leaned in closer to Lyra. “It’s gonna be alright Lyra, I’m getting us out of here.” 

Suddenly the guards left their posts to search the casino, one passed them and Poe heard the message being relayed to him.

“Pash Aryss has been murdered. Don’t let anybody else leave the casino, the killer can’t have gotten far.”

“Alright Lyra we have to go a little faster, come on, follow me” Poe said, placing his hand on Lyra’s back as he led her outside the casino before the guards could stop them. Poe managed to get them both to the dock before any guards noticed.

“Wait! You two, nobody is allowed to leave right now. We are on full lockdown.”

Lyra whimpered as a guard by their ship stopped them.

“Excuse me sir but it’s my wife, she’s feeling sick, I need to get her home” Poe told the guard. 

Lyra looked back at the casino, already the doors had been closed and more and more guards had already begun to patrol the surrounding areas.

“We need to leave Poe, we need to leave now, please” Lyra begged him.

“And she just used my real name. So change of plan, sorry bud” Poe told the guard before knocking him out swiftly. 

As the other guards ran to see what was happening, Poe managed to get him and Lyra into their ship on time and took off before they could get caught. 

Poe grinned as he steered the ship away from Canto Bight. Another narrow escape, but an escape nonetheless. 

“You know, since I met you, we can’t seem to fly a ship off in peace. Just once it might be nice to have a calm, pleasant flight huh?”

He looked over at Lyra. She was sat, staring ahead at nothing, just like how she did on the way back from Jakku, she played with her wedding ring nervously, her hands shook in her lap.

Poe put the ship on auto-pilot and knelt down in-front of her. “Lyra you need to listen to me right now. You didn’t have a choice. He was trying to kill you alright, I can see the bruises on your neck. He would have killed you if you hadn’t have killed him first. It wasn’t your fault.”

He held her shaking hands in his own and waited until she finally looked at him. “But, we weren’t meant to kill him, we were meant to bring him back.”

“Technically we just had to stop him from trading which he definitely isn’t doing anymore. So you didn’t fail the mission Lyra, you succeeded. You did it! Practically all by yourself.”

She shot him a nervous look. “But I’ve never killed anyone before Poe, I killed someone, I’m, I’m a murderer.”

Poe stroked her cheek softly. “No. Lyra, I know it’s hard. The first time you strike someone down it always is, but this is war. You did a good thing Lyra. Aryss was a criminal, he would have been responsible for so many deaths if he would have been allowed to continue. What’s more, before he dealt with the First Order, he was involved in the slave trade on Tatooine. He sold children to people who did terrible things to them. What you did was good Lyra, it was good.”

A tear escaped Lyra’s eye but she managed a small nod as Poe wiped it away. “Thank you Poe, for getting us out of there” she whispered.  
He continued to stroke her face gently. “Hey, it’s ok. It’s not a problem, I’ll be here for you as long as you need me to be.”

When he was sure she was calm again, he returned to the pilot seat and steered them back to D’Qar and Lyra fell into silent thought, realising how much she was changing before her own eyes.


	7. Familiar Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much to anyone who has commented and left kudos on this story already, it means so much! Now is the part in the story where the timeline and events of Force Awakens get altered slightly to suit my narrative, not majorly, but let’s just pretend Rey arrived with BB-8 and Finn to the base on D’Qar together, and earlier than expected.

It was late when Lyra and Poe returned to D’Qar, so late it was early morning. Poe had insisted they both try to get a few hours of sleep before reporting back to Leia, but Lyra couldn’t sleep. Instead she turned restlessly in bed, unable to get comfortable. Unable to get the image of Aryss’ lifeless eyes out of her head. 

After a few more minutes of tossing and turning she reached for the radio in her desk. It wasn’t fair, she knew it wasn’t fair to keep ringing through to Hux. It wasn’t fair for both of them. But he was hers, he was her husband and for the longest time, the only person she felt she could talk to. 

She turned the radio on, feeling her heart race as she heard his breathing. He must have been by the radio, already waiting for her to call through.

“Armitage?”

“Lyra! Lyra are you safe?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to hear your voice.”

“Lyra please, tell me where you are, come home.”

His words were a plea. His voice hoarse, as if he was more stressed and worn out than ever before. She had never heard him sound so…. desperate. 

“Someone tried to kill me today Tij, so I, I had to kill him to protect myself.”

“By the stars, who tried to kill you? Lyra are you hurt?”

“No, no I’m alright now. Well, as alright as I can be after killing someone. It felt so surreal, like it wasn’t really me in control of my own body. I don’t know how you do it Tij, how you can take a life and not feel, guilty.”

She heard Armitage sigh. “Lyra this isn’t you, please come home to me.”

“You should have seen me though Tij, I did something big. I pulled off a big mission, practically on my own.”

“Lyra, what are you doing out there? Please, I want to come to you, I want to be there for you.”

“Do you remember what you said to me when we first met?”

“I said a lot of things to you when we first met.”

She smiled to herself. “You said my spirit was refreshing. You told me not to lose it, not ever.”

She heard Armitage laugh softly. “I did say that to you yes. I meant it too.”

“Well, that’s what I got back tonight, my spirit. I wish you could have seen it.”

“I love you Lyra, please come home to me.”

Once again Lyra felt tears sting her cheeks again. “I love you too, I’m sorry I rang Tij, I just, wanted to hear your voice, it feels strange to not tell you about my day. I won’t do this again, I can’t. For the both of us, goodbye Tij.”

“No Lyra please….” 

She turned the radio off, cutting him off. 

Knowing she couldn’t talk to him anymore without breaking both their hearts any more than she already had, or giving everything up and returning to him, she threw the radio on the floor hard, smashing it into pieces. After picking up the broken pieces and throwing them away, she wiped the rest of her tears away and returned to bed. 

After laying wide awake, unable to sleep for a couple more hours, she got dressed into more of Poe’s clothes and knocked on his door.   
He answered the door half dressed, shirtless and looking very sleepy. His hair was dishevelled and he stared at her through half open eyes.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I woke you” she said quietly, taking a step back to return back to her room.

“No, it’s ok, I needed to get up anyway, come in” he replied, standing aside to allow her in. 

She averted her eyes from his exposed torso and stepped into his room. It was a little bigger than hers, and he had a double bed as well as a little corner of the room filled with blankets and comfy cushions. Possibly for the droid he mentioned? His bathroom was a little roomier as well, with a bigger shower. 

He pulled out the chair by his desk for her to sit down on and sat on the bed facing her. She grinned as he desperately tried to wake up, rubbing his eyes to help them find focus and yawning.

“I am sorry I woke you. I don’t mind leaving you to sleep, really I don’t.”

Poe ran a hand through his messy hair. “Nah it’s ok, I like having you for company. Why are you up so early, couldn’t sleep?”

She leaned against the chair and watched Poe as he stretched out. “No, not really. I um, I maybe, rang through to my husband.”

Poe’s eyes snapped open fully. “What? You called him?”

She nodded. “Yes, I always kept a radio on me that goes straight through to his personal one.”

The young pilot frowned. “Lyra, do you have any idea how dangerous that is, what if he can track you through it?”

“I smashed it. I destroyed it, after I rang him, I smashed it so now it’s broken, so now I can’t ring him, even if I wanted to.”

He could hear the sadness in her voice and sighed as he patted the spot next to him on the bed, indicating for her to sit beside him. “I’m sorry Lyra, I know I keep saying that but I really am.”

She nodded, somehow sympathy from him didn’t seem patronising like it did coming from anyone else. Her eyes trailed down to his neck.

“Are you married?”

Poe frowned. “No, no I’m not married, did you think I was?”

Lyra pointed at his chest. “The ring, around your neck, it’s a wedding ring.”

Poe smiled as he sat closer to her, holding the ring up to her so she could see it better. “No, I’m not married, this was my mother’s wedding ring. My dad said I should keep it close to me always, so she’s always with me.”

Lyra held the ring so she could look at it closely and as she did, Poe caught the scent of her hair being so close to her. Fresh, like new laundry and spring. 

“Was your mother in the Resistance too?”

Poe nodded. “Her and my father were. They are the reason I grew up wanting to be a pilot and join the Resistance. You know they fought in the battle on Endor. My mother died six years after that, barely had time to enjoy her well earned retirement.”

Lyra let go of the ring, pressing it back against his chest gently. “I’m sorry Poe, sorry for her passing.”

“What about you, where are your parents?”

“I don’t know anymore. I haven’t seen them for years, not after Armitage was chosen for me as a husband. They didn’t have any use for me after that. I suspect they are still alive somewhere, leaching off some other gullible sap.”

Outside, the distant noises of chatter and doors opening filled the base. The rest of the rebels in the living quarters seemed to be waking up and going about their business for the day. 

“I’m so sorry Lyra.”

She shrugged him off. “Don’t be. It is for the best. I never had much of a relationship with them really. They sent me off to Naboo as soon as they could. Some people seem to have trouble knowing the difference between trophies and children. Is your father still alive?”

“He sure is, he’s living comfortably in Yavin 4 with my aunt and a few other veterans from the Clone wars. I try to visit him when I can but lately it’s been tough between completing missions for Leia. Speaking of which, we should go and let her know how the mission went.”

Leia was finishing another meeting with most of the rebels on base when Poe and Lyra returned to her. Once again, Lyra, forgetting she was now known as just a General and not a Princess, gave a slight bow as they approached, earning her another one of Leia’s trademark smirks. 

“You made it back, I’m impressed. I hope you two have more good news for me than just surviving.”

Poe stood to attention while placing his hand on Lyra’s back. “General I believe Lyra deserves all the credit for this one.”

Poe’s old squadron were listening in nearby as Leia looked at Lyra with a surprised look on her face.

“You secured Aryss as a prisoner?”

“Not quite your majesty but let’s just say, he won’t be trading with the First Order, ever again.”

Leia looked between Poe and Lyra, seemingly confused.

“Lyra managed to get him alone and he tried to kill her so she, got there first. It was all in self-defence.”

Leia looked at her in disbelief before turning to Poe. “Poe could you give us a moment please?”

He nodded and left the two women alone. 

“Lyra, are you alright?”

“Fine your majesty. I mean, General. I’m fine.”

There was uncertainty in her voice, proving that perhaps, it wasn’t all fine.

Leia placed a hand on her shoulder. “That was the first person you ever killed wasn’t it?”

Lyra nodded.

“You know, you are turning out to be, one of the bravest young women I’ve met. You should be very proud of yourself Lyra, what you did will help us in ways you can’t imagine. Ending Aryss means ending a large supply chain of ships to the First Order. Be proud of yourself Lyra, I am. Now go and relax, you and Poe have earnt some time to enjoy yourselves.”

Leia could not have known how much Lyra needed to hear those words. To have the General of the Resistance thank her for her work, a woman who had helped save the galaxy on more than one occasion thanking her, it meant more than even Lyra could have realised. 

“Thank you General, thank you so much.”

As Lyra returned to Poe, his friends gathered around her to congratulate her for her success on Canto Bight. They showered her with compliments and congratulatory handshakes until Kaydel tapped Poe on the shoulder.

“Heads up Poe, I think your baby came home to you.”

Poe and Lyra turned around and there, making their way through the docks was Poe’s BB unit and Finn, the Stormtrooper they had presumed dead, along with a young woman dressed as if she was from a desert type planet.

Poe raced to his droid, rubbing its head like a pet as it made excited beeps, clearly pleased to be reunited with its master. Lyra followed behind as Poe hugged Finn before embracing him herself.

“I’m so glad to see you’re alive, what happened to you?”

“When I woke up I had been thrown from the ship, and you guys were nowhere to be found. I found a scavenger on Jakku called Rey, she found BB-8 and we escaped together and now, here we are.”

Lyra smiled. “Well, it’s good to see you alive Finn.”

“You too Lady Hux.”

“It’s just Lyra now, and who is your friend?”

Finn introduced them to Rey, the scavenger who had saved both him and the droid on Jakku before they both left to settle into the base themselves.

“Lyra, I want you to meet my pal BB-8, BB-8, this is Lyra” Poe told her.

She knelt down and smiled down at the droid. “Very pleased to meet you BB-8.”

The droid beep happily and Lyra looked up at Poe to translate.

“He says thank you for keeping me safe while he was gone”.

She grinned at the BB unit. “It was a pleasure, though I’m glad you’re here to help now. Poe Dameron can be quite a handful.”

BB-8 continued to chirp away happily. 

“Hey! Oh what a beautiful girl comes along and you just forsake me to impress her, I see how it is buddy” Poe laughed.

“What did he say?” she asked.

“He said he likes you, a lot.”

“I like him too. He’s very cute.” 

“Aw don’t tell him that, his ego might end up getting as big as mine. Listen, I’m gonna help clean him up. He’s been through a lot, a little tender loving care wouldn’t go amiss, right buddy?”

Again the little droid beeped excitedly. 

“You want me to show you the hangar? My best X-wing is there.”

Lyra nodded. “I’m going to assume that isn’t a euphemism. So yes, I would love to see your best X-wing. I’m intrigued about this scavenger Rey though, she must be impressive to have saved a lost Stormtrooper, a droid and flown all the way here away from the First Order, I wonder what her story is?”

They walked alongside one another to the hangar, BB-8 following dutifully behind them.

“Oh what, are you scared you might have competition on who is the most badass woman on base?”

Lyra frowned at him. “Not at all. Women who work together can achieve far more than anything they can accomplish fighting one another. Besides, General Organa is the most badass female in the entire galaxy and we all know it.”

Poe laughed in agreement and took Lyra to the ship hangar on base. The hangar was impressive, not the same size or scale as anything the First Order could muster up but impressive nevertheless. Poe seemed to have a section of the hangar all to himself. He was the Resistance’s best pilot after all. In the corner of the hangar was an X-wing that looked as if it had seen better days. The paint was wearing thin and there were scratches and marks all over it. It certainly looked as if it had seen a lot of action over the years.

“Here she is” Poe said, leaning against the old ship, his arm touching it gently as if it was a close friend.

“She?”

“All ships are girls. Or at least, they should be by tradition. Didn’t you know that?”

Lyra laughed as BB-8 circled Poe, beeping away. “No, I did not know that. I spent the last year aboard a ship called the Finalizer, hardly a feminine name, or an endearing name at all, come to think of it.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “Jeez, you would think your husband would have at least named a ship after you. I wanted to name this one Shara but she already had a name, Portera.”

“Oh no, no ships named after me I’m afraid, that would have been a far too intimate thing for the General to do in-front of his men. Portera, that’s an interesting name.”

Poe watched as Lyra ran her fingers along the faded Resistance symbol on the side of the ship.

“It was a way of my mom getting all the letters of my name onto the ship without calling it after me outright. She thought it might be safer that way, and not completely predictable.”

Lyra turned to face him. “This was your mother’s ship?”

He nodded. “Yeah, beautiful isn’t she?”

“She’s certainly withstood the test of time, I imagine she’s got you out of a fair few tight spots over the years.”

BB-8 nudged her legs softly and she knelt down to pet him as Poe looked on.

“Yeah she has, probably the only reason I’m still standing right now.”

“It must be a comfort, like having her with you always?”

The pilot nodded, staring into Lyra’s eyes, Poe had the warmest eyes, she thought to herself, like she could stare at them forever and not notice the world around her the whole time. 

“Well, we should get BB-8 feeling brand new again, don’t you think?”

Lyra needed to stop before Poe fell for her on the spot. He was a sucker for anyone who showed his buddy BB-8 any real affection. And anyone that BB-8 warmed to was someone very good in Poe’s books. 

Poe tended to his ship as Lyra helped clean the little Astromech droid up, earning her plenty of happy beeps and excited rolls. They spoke more about Poe’s family and his time with the Resistance. He informed Lyra of the missions Leia, Luke and Han Solo undertook during the last war when Lyra didn’t think it was possible to gain more respect for the female General. 

He also told her the stories behind Leia’s mother, Padme and how she was heavily involved with upholding democratic values within the senate, and of her relationship with famed Jedi Anakin Skywalker, and the love they shared that led to a war people from across the galaxy would remember forever. 

Lyra had grown up with tales of Padme, as they had called the same planet home. She thought the tale of Padme and Anakin was heartbreakingly bittersweet. Their love had led to the birth of Luke and Leia, but it had led to the destruction of so much more. She hoped her love for Hux could never be likened to Anakin’s own past. 

“Do you miss home? Not the Finalizer, your actual home?”

Lyra nodded. “I miss Naboo greatly yes. I was born on Lanthe but I don’t see it as home. I was sent to Naboo when I was twelve. I met Armitage when I was nineteen. Seeing as his home planet Arkanis was awful. All rain and military operations and no sunlight, Armitage bought us a home in Naboo and it’s where we spent the first five years of our marriage. Before being sent to the Finalizer which has even less sunshine than Arkanis. Then there are the homes in Cloud City, Cato Neimoidia and Kath, but Naboo is home.” 

Poe whistled at the list of cities the young noblewoman had homes in, he would never be as rich as her husband, but for all her money she was there with him, in his old clothes, helping clean his droid. Staying in a small room close to his own, spending hours on end talking to him. 

“Do you miss home?”

Poe was dragged from his thoughts as she questioned him. “Yeah, Yavin is great, I grew up around people who experienced the wars and took part in the rebellion first hand. It made for great bed time stories. Besides, it’s nice to visit my dad and aunt every now and then. I can’t wait until we take down the First Order so I can have more time with them.”

For the first time since leaving the Finalizer, Lyra felt real conflict within herself. She would not see either Poe or Hux die at the hands of one another. But hearing Poe talk about his family made her realise the world that the Resistance was fighting for. It was a world where families were not torn asunder by politics and protocol. A world where no talk of history was forbidden. 

She, like Padme Amidala before her, knew that there was good in her husband. She knew that under the quest for power, he was a boy who had grown up thinking he had no value. A boy who had grown up with a father who believed he was weak. She knew Armitage had grown up believing the only way he could escape the feeling of uselessness, was to rise up in the military ranks. Somewhere along the way, he had unravelled past that and instead set his goals higher, with a leader he believed he could achieve those goals with.

But Snoke was nothing but a cruel monster and dictator who had honeyed his words to the point where Armitage had foolishly believed them. And after that, the fear had set in. The fear that he would be deemed useless once more if he failed. The fear that Snoke would hurt Lyra if he failed. The fear that he would kill him if he failed. Armitage had followed a cycle of abuse his whole life. If it wasn’t his father, it was Snoke, if it wasn’t Snoke, it was Ren. He had fallen in love with Lyra the second she showed him kindness. He had fallen even more hopelessly in love when he believed her when she said she saw his potential and that she believed he would one day become a great man.

But that potential had been warped into something far more insidious. She was struggling to support it and that struggle had forced her to leave him and do what she believed was right. But they were two ends of the same string, and she felt the constant tug on that string to return to him one day, when all this was over, when the Resistance won the war and he would be forced to look elsewhere for leadership. Perhaps he would finally realise power was not everything and could instead just be happy with her. She believed there was good left in him, and that someday soon, he could believe that too.


	8. Sinkholes & Shots

Rey the scavenger as it turns out, got on tremendously well with Lyra. That is, once the initial tension between a rich girl from a good home and a poor desert girl abandoned by her family was kicked aside when they realised they were both there for the same reason. To help the Resistance, Rey had even promised Lyra to help train in combat together and in return Lyra would help Rey learn the basics of hacking into systems.

A week had passed since the first mission on Canto Bight and since Rey’s arrival, Lyra had spent a significant amount of time by Rey’s side, as Poe eagerly tried to indoctrinate Finn into all things Resistance pilot related. 

“How long do you suppose it will be before they announce their engagement?” Lyra asked Rey one morning by the docks as Poe grabbed at Finn excitedly as they spoke. 

Poe had even let Finn keep his jacket he had left behind from the Jakku crash. Clearly they had already become firm friends. 

“I expect it will be weeks now” Rey smiled back as they stared at the two men behaving like young boys, BB-8 stood watch with the two women, beeping in agreement. 

“And here I was thinking I was special that he lent me his clothes, apparently that’s his thing now. Look at them, chattering away about stars only knows what. Boys, I could never quite work them out, strange beings that they are” Lyra grinned.

BB-8 beeped angrily, forcing the two women to look down at him. “Present company excluded of course” Lyra finished. 

“Lyra, I thought I might find you here.”

The young women turned to see General Organa, looking as regal as ever, even in understated clothes. 

“General Organa, how can I help?”

“Fancy another mission, with Dameron of course?”

Lyra blushed slightly at the idea that everyone believed the two were already inseparable, but she nodded, eager to help. 

“Pau City, the old mining city, there are reports of the First Order having a large communications hub there. We need to intercept it or destroy it. Preferably intercept it, so we can keep an eye on one of their lines of communication, find out what their next plans are.”

Lyra nodded. “Count me in, I’ll let Poe know.”

The General nodded. “Great, set off as soon as possible. Rey, I have a few things to fill you and Finn in on regarding operations around here, meet me in my office in ten minutes. Oh and uh Lyra, you know we can have a uniform made up for you, so you don’t have to go around wearing Dameron’s clothes. One Poe Dameron is enough, more than enough.”

Lyra shook her head. “Oh no, I don’t mind wearing his clothes, they are rather comfy actually.”

Leia gave her a knowing smirk before walking back to her office.

Rey gave Lyra a sly smile too. 

“What? What is it?” Lyra asked as the little droid rolled around her happily. 

“You like him?”

“Who?”

“Who? Poe Dameron that’s who?”

BB-8 made a noise that sounded distinctly like a human saying “oooooh”, causing Lyra to frown.

“I do not. I’m married.”

Rey raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t mean you don’t like him. Besides, you ran away from your husband and life in the First Order.”

Lyra frowned. “I’m still married, I didn’t stop loving my husband. I just couldn’t support him any longer. Besides, Poe has been very good to me is all, it’s hard not to warm to him. Not to mention he’s charming, that charm could win over anyone just a little.”

Rey smirked down at BB-8 before leaning closer to Lyra. “For what it’s worth, I think he likes you too. Do with that information what you will. I’ll see you later.”

The scavenger left Lyra to ponder Poe’s feelings for her and as Rey fetched Finn to report back to General Organa, Lyra walked over to the famed Resistance pilot to inform him of the newest mission. 

Poe watched her as she walked closer. She was looking healthier than when they first escaped, she had even started to gain weight. His eyes fell to her fuller looking waistline before trailing back up to meet her eyes. The bruises from the crash had mostly healed already, and even the bruises from Aryss’ attempt at killing her were fading. She was strong. Stronger than she knew. Colour had now crept back into her cheeks, and after spending so much time outside she had even started to gain some colour all over. 

She was so beautiful, there in his clothes, so comfortable in them he could have sworn they weren’t even his to begin with. But there was something about seeing her in his clothes that made his heart race a little every time he caught a glance at her in them. BB-8 had taken to her too. Despite her not being able to understand him, she tried to communicate with the Astromech droid as much as possible and seeing her kneel to attempt a conversation with him warmed Poe’s heart. 

“Hey you, what’s up?” 

“What if I told you there was a chance for us to go on another mission together?”

Poe crossed his arms. “I’d say, haven’t you had enough of being thrown right into the danger zone already?”

Lyra batted his arm gently. “Nonsense, I’m not in any danger, BB-8 is coming, aren’t you B?”

The droid nodded his head up and down.

“Well sounds like you two have it under control, you don’t even need me?”

“That’s not true, we need your ship too” Lyra winked. 

Poe planted a hand on his heart. “You wound me, and here I was thinking I meant more.”

Lyra grinned at him. “I’m joking of course, you mean far more to me than just piloting skills.”

Poe watched as her face turned red again at the admission. 

He couldn’t help but smile at her awkwardness. “That’s good to know. What’s the mission?”

She quickly composed herself, leaning against a ship, as she watched him try to rub grease from the ship off his arm. “Intercept a communications hub in Pau City, or destroy it, whichever option doesn’t get us killed.”

He nodded. “Sounds simple enough, when are we ready to leave?”

Lyra turned on her heels and smirked back at him. “You mean you aren’t ready yet? Come on fastest pilot in the galaxy, you can’t slow down now.”

Poe walked into step with her. “Best pilot in the galaxy, not just fastest, best.”

***

Pau City was a mess. A crumpling heap of dirt, dust and black-market trade. Since General Grevious’ demise at the hands of famed Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the city had seemingly fallen into disarray. Thinking about it, it made perfect sense to set up base for the First Order. Nobody would think they would ever set up base somewhere the Imperial Forces had once been crushed in and even if they did, nobody would think anything useful would be accomplished in such a crumbling wreck. 

Communications wise it made even less sense. The docks were small, the city itself was in a pit, it was hardly the place for the best access for communications. But maybe that was the point. The First Order was like a tumour, it planted itself small and meek, in places that could easily be ignored, and then it grew. Grew into something that proved much, much harder to remove. 

Poe landed their ship as closely as he could to the city. Leia had transmitted through the location of some hidden tunnels the Resistance once used back in the clone wars to gain access into the city. Walking in as visitors was not an option, not with First Order officers looking for Lyra, and if the city was under the First Order’s control, a couple of rebels with a wanted droid would hardly go down well either. 

BB-8 stayed close by, emitting only the quietest of worried noises when they approached the tunnels.

“You have your blaster?”

Lyra still had Armitage’s blaster, his own personal one she had stolen the night she left. It was the most expensive design, with his initials engraved onto the handle and the First Order insignia above it. It didn’t carry the same sentiment as Poe carrying his mother’s ring but it was another way of keeping another part of him close to her.

She nodded. “Yes, all set.”

“Do you know how to use it?”

She waved her arm in annoyance, the pistol hanging carelessly from her hand as she did so. “Do you think I’m a complete idiot? Yes I know how to use it.”

Poe raised an eyebrow. “Right. You know the safety isn’t on?”

She practically jumped out of her skin as she moved to put the safety switch on.

“Well, it is now” she replied. Poe came up behind her.

“Let me show you, you don’t want to be hit back by the recoil” he whispered in her ear. Her whole body seemed to shiver at the closeness of his voice. He steadied her arms as she held it with both hands. He moved his foot to kick her legs further apart gently, and leaned in close to her face.

“Always use both hands, if you can and always have both your feet planted firmly on the ground, spread your legs and bend them slightly to stay balanced. Alright?”

His voice sent another shiver through her and she noticed the hairs on her arms stand on edge. She nodded. “Uh Yes, I think I have it now, thank you” she said before moving away, thrown off by his closeness.

“Alright, let’s go. BB-8 you stay a step behind with Lyra alright, out of the three of us I’m the only one that isn’t currently highest on the most wanted list in the First Order. Stay close though ok, no matter how curious” Poe told them both.

“What’s there to be curious about here? This place looks like a dump” Lyra exclaimed, stepping into the tunnels and following Poe as he scouted ahead.

It was deadly silent. The First Order obviously hadn’t caught wind of the hidden passage, but that wasn’t to say the creatures wondering the surrounding environment hadn’t found a home there. Naboo was mostly absent of any creepy crawlies, as was the Finalizer, but Lyra knew that certain bugs across the galaxy could do worse than just frighten you. She watched the ground and walls with every step she took.

The tunnels seemed to go on forever, until finally, signs of life. In the distance, she heard voices, and the quiet hum of a moderately busy city. The markets in Pau City had once been famous, mostly for the number of exotic products you could barter for.  
Still, even if the city was not as popular as it once was, they were approaching people, and where there were people, there was danger.

After another few minutes of walking, they came to the end of the tunnels. Poe watched to see any signs of the First Order but was beaten to it as Lyra stepped past him, walking ahead before hiding behind a market stall.

Poe gave her a disapproving look as she ushered him over.

“Lyra, what did I say? Let me scout first. It’s safer for me.”

“Sorry, it’s just, look, up there, Stormtroopers” she said, pointing up to one of the platforms on the upper levels.

Above them, Stormtroopers peered down from the high platform at the city below. They were clearly guarding something, and a communications hub in a sinkhole would have had to be located somewhere high. 

“Idiots are so busy looking below that they have left their right side clear. It will be tricky to sneak past them but I think we can do it, I can get BB-8 to distract them and lead them away and then we…”

Poe looked to his side and saw Lyra had already moved ahead, getting closer to the first set of stairs, up to the next level. He waved BB-8 over to follow as he gained on her.

“Lyra! Do you want to blow this entire mission?”

“Sorry, just eager and I saw an opening to move ahead” she replied. 

Then she saw them, talking to the Stormtroopers, First Order officers. And that wasn’t all, Lieutenant Mitaka was there. A man who served directly under Hux. If he caught sight of her, everything was over. He would alert Armitage and within minutes the whole organization would be there waiting to bring her back to the Finalizer. She stepped back, as Poe noticed the officers too.

“Ok Lyra, don’t panic. I see them. Listen, we’re gonna get to their level and then BB-8 is gonna distract them. We sneak in, intercept or disable the communications hub, by which time BB-8 would have lost the troopers, we meet him back in the tunnels and we slip out unseen alright?”

She nodded as Poe looked down at his trusty droid. “That sound alright bud?”

The droid nodded eagerly and moved through the markets to take his place ready to distract the troopers away. For a droid he was fast, extremely fast and could thankfully outrun Stormtroopers. Lyra only hoped he was fast enough and strong enough to withstand taking fire if a fight broke out.

A fight couldn’t break out, not here, not now. If Mitaka knew, it would be the end. She looked away from the officers to look back at Poe, who was busy staring at her. 

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s just. Did I tell you how good you look in my clothes?”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, I have a bad feeling about this. We need to hurry.” 

She followed Poe as they crossed through the markets and up the levels one by one until they reached the one with the communications hub. On a small dock by the edge of the platform, a few of the soldiers boarded a ship and flew off into the galaxy, leaving just two First Order officers, including Mitaka, and two Stormtroopers left to guard. 

“How will BB-8 distract them?” Lyra asked.

“He can send false signals to different parts of the city, get them to go left when we need to go right, that sort of thing. But he can only patch through to one network at a time, meaning if he focuses on the First Order officers, the Stormtroopers will still be on guard up here. They most likely work on different radio channels”

Lyra nodded. “Get him to focus on the First Order, I need Mitaka as far away from me as possible.”

She knew focusing on the Stormtroopers would be more dangerous, but Mitaka was too much of a risk. Besides, the idea of Stormtroopers shooting at an innocent droid if BB was caught didn’t sit right with her. 

When BB-8 intercepted the signal, her and Poe moved to the communications hub, avoiding the Stormtroopers as they did so. Inside the hub, Poe stood guard as Lyra intercepted the messages. 

“Poe, I can’t intercept the system for long, it’s defence software is too complex for me to figure out right now. I can only look at the current plans” she said quietly to him.

“Alright, that’s alright we can just take note and then destroy the communications hub from the inside right?”

She nodded, taking a small datapad out to take notes. When she was done, she got to work on planting the program on the system that would bring the communications hub down. 

“Lyra we gotta g..”

“What are you two doing here, authorized personnel only.”

Lyra turned to see one of the Stormtroopers aiming a blaster at them. Poe’s hand went to his own. 

“Hands where I can see them, rebel scum” the Stormtrooper replied. Lyra and Poe both put their hands up. 

“I can’t go back, I can’t” she whispered to herself, focusing all her attention on the Stormtroopers blaster.

“Easy Lyra, I’ll get us out of this” Poe said.

The Stormtrooper aimed his blaster on Poe. “Stop talking, you two are in big trouble.”  
Poe reached for his blaster, but not before the Stormtrooper took a shot. 

Without thinking, Lyra pushed them both out of the way of the Stormtroopers fire, but the shot caught the edge of her hip. Poe fired at the Stormtrooper, killing him before checking on Lyra.

“Stars, Lyra, you’re hurt, come on, let’s go” he said, helping her up.

She clutched at her hip as she limped forward, leaning on Poe for support. As the other Stormtrooper approached, Poe was quick to shoot him down as Lyra slumped against him. 

The Pilot lifted her up in his arms and made for the tunnels before the First Order could arrive.

“BB-8, meet us by the tunnels, we gotta go now buddy. Lyra’s hurt” he transmitted through to his droid as he made his way to the tunnel entrance.

“Lyra, stay with me alright, just stay with me, are you ok?”

She groaned as her eyes began to feel heavy. “Oh I’m ok. I’m losing a copious amount of blood but other than that, fine.”

BB-8 caught up with them as they approached the tunnels and they made their way through. The sounds from the city were now louder and it had become obvious the First Order had seen the dead Stormtroopers and were now actively searching for those responsible.

“Why did you do that Lyra? Why did you take that shot for me huh? That was a stupid thing to do.”

She managed a faint smile as she looked up at him. “If that shot would have struck you it would have killed you. I couldn’t have you die now could I? It would have been such a waste of a pretty face” she told him, repeating the words he had said to her when they had escaped the Finalizer together. 

He shook his head as they made approached the end of the tunnels. He could feel Lyra sink against him further, she was losing consciousness. 

“No, no, come on Lyra, stay with me please” he said as they finally approached his ship.

He helped her in as BB-8 made his own way inside and stood watch over Lyra anxiously and Poe took off his jacket. 

“BB-8, I need you to hold this jacket against her side ok, you need to keep the pressure on buddy if she feels asleep. Lyra sweetheart, I’m gonna get you help alright. I’m gonna get us back home, you’re gonna be fine ok, just try to stay awake ok” he told her as he stroked her cheek softly. 

She let out a quiet giggle. “Looks like you have to give away another one of your jackets to someone Poe.”

He smiled down at her. “You make it through this alive and you can keep all my jackets alright, you can keep everything, always. Just stay alive.”

BB-8 used his head to hold the jacket against her wounded hip as Poe took the helm of the ship and made off as fast as possible to D’Qar. Five minutes before landing, Lyra fell unconscious.


	9. The Way We Were

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers, I was feeling bad for all you team Hux fans out there so I decided to give you guys a flashback chapter involving Lyra and Hux. I know some of you are chomping at the bit to see her reunited with her husband (myself included) but I owe it to my story and all of you readers to develop the storyline first. Hux is still a BIG part of Lyra’s life and I aim to surprise you all with his actions and their relationship. However, my plotline (so far) has a clear path and I aim to develop it as much as possible as well as the relationships between Lyra, Poe and Hux. With that said, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. As always, let me know your thoughts, feelings and anything else you wish to throw out there :)

Lyra’s vitals remained stable, thanks to Poe for getting her back to base so fast. She had been out for a couple of hours but the med bay at base worked hard to keep her alive and safe as possible.

The bleeding had subsided and Leia, Finn, Rey and Poe’s old squadron had all checked to see if Lyra was safe.

Now, only Poe and BB-8 remained by her side. Leia had doubted even the arrival of the First Order couldn’t drag the pilot away from her as he waited for her to recover. Poe watched as her chest rose and fell, making sure the movements were steady and her breath stayed regular. As Poe watched her in silence, BB-8 made worried beeps by her bedside, eagerly awaiting her recovery as much as his master was. 

Poe’s eyes drew up to her closed ones. The girl had almost gotten herself killed to save him. Devotion like that had only come from his squadron, he was angry and delighted with her at the same time. Delighted she cared so much for him, angry she had been so reckless for him. Angry that he was reading into it. Angry that it made him think her feelings for him could potentially stretch out to more than just good friends. Angry that she was already spoken for, by a man who must have neglected her enough to make her want to leave. Poe Dameron was a reckless man, a brave man and sometimes an overly confident one, but a jealous man wasn’t something he was ever known for, until now. 

As Lyra recovered, she dreamt of Armitage Hux and the day they had first met.

***

The young noblewoman frowned as one of the maids helped her into her dress. The dress was long and elaborate and she felt like a bird showing off its extravagant plumage. It was light blue with a lace trim across the chest and arms. Gold lace flowers that sparkled lightly in the Naboo sun adorned the skirts that billowed out across the ground beneath her.

“If he’s a military man, won’t he despise all this effort? We could have gone with something slightly more understated” She asked as the maid worked on placing small white flowers within the plait around her head.

“Perhaps my lady, but I’m under strict instructions from your father to make you look like a queen for the boy’s arrival.”

“A queen? Than why is it I feel like a show fathier?”

The maid fixed the final flower in place. “There we are. All finished. Do you like it my lady?”

Lyra smiled. “I think it’s beautiful, I just think he might believe it to be a bit much?”

The maid crossed her arms. “And since when did you care about what others think of you?”

Lyra winked at her. “That’s true. You are too smart for your own good Ileya did you know that?”

“So I’ve been told my lady. Come on, he’s waiting downstairs.”

Lyra gathered up her skirts and followed Ileya downstairs.

As Lyra came down the stairs she caught sight of the man in the dining room ahead. His back was facing her as he stood looking out at the gardens out front.

“My lady, presenting Armitage Hux” Ileya said causing the man to turn suddenly with a stumble. He stood to attention, hands behind his back as if still in line for military inspection.

“Hello Armitage, pleased to meet you” Lyra said as she reached him, standing an arm’s length away from him.

He stared at her intensely, his brow furrowed.

He took her hand and kissed it softly but still remained mute. Lyra spent a moment looking at him, he was handsome. A redhead. She didn’t know any other redheads. His lips were full and smooth and his green eyes peered down at her as if she were a new species.

“What’s the matter? Don’t you like the dress, I’ve been told it makes me look like a queen and not in-fact a show fathier” she said, winking back at her maid for a moment.

Her attempt at a joke didn’t seem to land. He didn’t laugh. He merely continued to stare down at her.

“Oh dear, so I’ve failed to impress with my wit and my dress sense. Not sure what’s left. Perhaps I could read you a poem, or recite a song? I’ve heard all the queens do such things. You’re a military man aren’t you? Would it help if I shined my shoes or walked in a perfectly straight line?”

Again he just stared at her.

“Oh no. My sense of humour has sent him into some sort of coma it would seem. Hello, anybody there?”

She waved her hand to him which seemed to bring him out of his daze. He nodded and kissed her hand again. But the frown remained, and he still stood tall and rigid, as stiff as a board.

“Pleased to meet you Lady Lyra, I am Armitage Hux.”

“I know, you were introduced as such. I’m glad for the clarification though, thank you. It is handy to be sure about who you’re to marry after all. You don’t have to stand to attention though you aren’t in the military right now.”

He eased down slightly. “Apologies Lady Lyra, force of habit. I do like it by the way.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Your dress. You do look like a queen.”

Lyra grinned up at him. “You think so? Truly? To tell you the truth, I thought I seemed a little more like an exotic bird perhaps. Still, hardly worthy of Queen Amidala.”

The young officer didn’t crack a smile but she would be lying if she said she didn’t appreciate how he looked at her as if she was the most beautiful person alive. 

“You surpass Queen Amidala’s beauty, by far.”

She beamed up at him and her smile filled him with a warmth he had never felt before. It felt like an eternity since he had seen anyone smile at all. 

“Would you like something to eat? I believe Ileya has prepared us some lunch” Lyra asked.

He cleared his throat before nodding. 

Lyra wrinkled her nose at him. This wouldn’t do, she had to loosen him up to get any sort of measure of him first. 

“On second thought, Ileya, lunch can wait. Armitage and I are going to take a walk out in the gardens, alone” she called to her maid. 

“My lady, I was told I shouldn’t leave you”.

“Nonsense Ileya, everything will be fine. Please, how am I to get to know my betrothed if we don’t have a chance for a private conversation?”

Her maid reluctantly agreed and before Armitage could protest, she took his arm and led him outside to the gardens. He squinted as the sunlight hit him, obviously sun was something he wasn’t accustomed to wherever he was from.

“Sorry for the quick escape, I just, wanted us to have real time to get to know one another. So now we can relax, you really can stop standing to attention” she smiled, her hand gripping his arm fondly. 

“I’m sorry my lady, I fear I’ve spent so long in the military I’ve forgotten how” he quipped.

She giggled. “Well, that’s alright, I’m sure it just takes time to adjust. We spend our entire lives adjusting to new things. So, Armitage, what’s short for that? Armie? Armi, Tij, Tij sounds good, Tij suits you, do people call you Tij?”

He pondered it for a moment before shaking his head. “No my lady, it’s always been Armitage, or Hux. I have never been given a nickname I’m afraid.”

“Oh, well, now you have one, Tij sounds good to me, does it bother you?”

“Not at all my lady, I rather like it.”

Lyra wrinkled her nose again. “It’s just Lyra, please. Even when my maid calls me my lady it feels strange. Besides, if we are to be married, I think Lyra and Tij will do just fine.”

He tried to look down at her without squinting too hard, causing her to giggle softly. 

“You don’t look like you see much of the sun, where are you from?”

“Arkanis.”

She gulped. “Oh, that’s a horrible planet. No wonder you are not accustomed to sunlight. Is it true it rains there almost every day?”

He could have grinned at her forwardness and lack of filter. Nobody had ever insulted his home planet before, though he expected almost everyone hated it.  
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Every day for as long as I have called it home at least, it has rained. The commanders say it’s bracing, good for us, to endure such weather. They think it makes us stronger men.”

“It certainly makes you wetter men. Perhaps Arkanis residents are part Gungan and they don’t realise it” she replied. She could have sworn she noticed one corner of his mouth turn upwards, as if tempted to smile. 

“Perhaps so. The thunderstorms can be rather therapeutic though, listening to them at night as you try to sleep.”

She brought him to a long patch of grass within the gardens before away from him. 

“That does rather nice, but wet ground means it’s not as comfortable to just lay there looking up at the sky.” 

Before he could answer, she lay down in the dry grass, patting the ground next to her for him to join. Once more he just stared down at her, until eventually, she extended her hand out to him, indicating for him to take it. 

“Lyra, I think lying next to one another on our first meeting is a little improper don’t you….”

She reached up to take his hand before pulling him down with her, so he had no choice but to lie next to her. She didn’t let go of his hand, and instead laced her fingers through his, causing him to blush wildly. 

“See, it’s lovely. Could you ever do such a thing in Arkanis?”

He shook his head as he silently relished the gentle touch of her hand against his. Truly she was the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on. And gentle, he wasn’t used to gentle. In his childhood, he feared he had all the gentleness beaten from him. He was told gentle was weak, useless. On her it was wonderful, and her gentleness towards him seemed somehow, perfectly right. Like something fit into place that was once distorted and confused.

His father was strict about the type of woman he would be allowed to marry. Ambitious, but not too ambitious. Strong, strict, disciplined, in-line politically or meek enough to fall in line with his own political opinions. Pretty but not beautiful enough to distract from work and above all, fertile. The rest could be remedied by sending her away once she has given you heirs, his father had said to him. 

Lyra could have distracted Hux all day with her smile. He highly doubted a girl with such spirit and kindness would believe wholeheartedly in the First Order’s tight and strict regime. If his father really met her, he doubted he would ever approve of her. “I should call of the engagement right now”, he thought to himself. 

“What are you thinking about?”

His eyes snapped to her. “Oh, nothing important. What are you thinking about?”

She closed her eyes against the bright sunshine before turning her head back to him. “I’m thinking about how to make you smile.”

Her thumb brushed his softly and a small gasp escaped his lips. 

“You’re very handsome Tij, I have never met a redhead before, I never expected one to be quite so dashing. Are your parents both redheads?”

His brow furrowed once more. “My father is.”

“What about your mother?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never met her.”

Lyra felt his grip on her hand fall, yet she continued to hold it. “Never met your mother? Do you know who she is?”

He shook his head.

“I’m sorry Tij, that seems rather sad. Then again, sometimes life is easier without the interference of parents. I know my most peaceful days are the ones I don’t hear from mine” she said with a sad little smile. 

Armitage looked troubled for a moment, like the weight of the world had suddenly been heaved onto his shoulders.

“I suppose. I can’t help but wonder what a respected, beautiful daughter of two nobles would want with an illegitimate bastard?”

“Please don’t reduce yourself to merely what your birth status is. If we all did that, I’d hazard they would be a great deal more, unhappy, troubled people in this galaxy. If you were asking my parents why they chose you, it’s because they believe in the First Order. They believe you will rise in the ranks as a very respected individual amongst the order. If you were to ask me why I’m agreeable to this marriage, I’d say, I’m lonely too Tij, it isn’t just you. I sense that we are one in the same in a lot of respects. Both without the love of friends and our parents. You might not have a lot of friends, but at least now you have me.” 

His tongue grew dry in his mouth as his heart flipped in his chest. Kindness was foreign to him. It had been so long since he had felt it’s warmth. Now it came flooding to him all at once in the form of her. Lyra, with her words and charm like honey and her smile like the first light of day. As his grip tightened once more, he found himself lost in her eyes until she stood up suddenly.

“Race you to the end of the garden, no holds barred” she shouted as she took a head start off down the grass. 

He stood quickly, unsure of himself, until he gave in to her and played along, gaining on her quickly. Years of training in the military meant it was more than easy for him to overtake her, but he instead chose to run by her side, listening to her breath quicken and her light laughter as she tried desperately to overtake him. 

Speed wouldn’t do it she decided and so she put her foot out in front of him, causing him to fall onto the grass with a thud. She felt so guilty she stopped and ran back to him.

“Oh dear, are you alri…”

He pulled her down to the ground with him and the two of them burst into laughter, lying next to one another once more. 

“That was a cheap move” she chuckled, hitting his chest. He merely laughed in response and when the laughter subsided, she was left looking at the nicest smile she had ever seen on anyone.

“I could say the same for you.”

“That cheap move was worth it though. I finally got to see your smile” she grinned down at him. The warmth that ran through Hux at the sight of Lyra now ran through her. His smile was wonderful, it lit up his whole face as laughter lines appeared under his eyes and his white teeth shone. They sat there for a while, smiling at each other, unable to find words that said more than what their gazes could until finally Lyra spoke up. 

“Now what are you thinking about?” She asked him.

“Your spirit. It’s rather refreshing. I’d advise you to never let it go, no matter what.”

She grinned. “Don’t you worry about that Tij, I never will.”

***

Poe hadn’t left Lyra’s side for the eight hours she was unconscious. His back ached leaning over her. His arm was begging to be stretched out after holding her hand for so long but he didn’t relent. 

BB-8 paced the floor nervously as they waited for her to wake up. The little droid let out a sad, quiet series of beeps.

“I know buddy, I like her too.”

BB-8 beeped again. 

“I know, she sure is something. What she did for me back in Pau City, that was special. She is special.”

Another beep.

“Hey! I can’t tell her that, she’s married. She’s not mine, BB-8 so I can’t tell her that.”

Her fingers twitched so slightly Poe didn’t even realise.

“Can’t tell me what?”

Poe stared down at her. Her eyes flickered open slowly and he smiled down at her.

“Hey you” he said quietly.

“Hey fly boy, how you doing?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Me, never mind me, how are you feeling?”

Poe absentmindedly stroked the hair away from her face as his fingers brushed gently against her forehead.

“Sore, but I was having a wonderful dream, so not all bad. Are we in D’Qar?”

He nodded, watching her as she desperately tried to fully take in her surroundings, her gaze unfocused. 

“You got me home safe?”

“Of course I did, you took a shot for me, couldn’t let you die for me could I?”

She noticed his hand still clasped hers and she smiled. “You stayed with me this whole time?”

He nodded again.

She suddenly burst into tears. “Oh, that’s so nice of you. What a sweet thing to do” she cried.

He couldn’t help but giggle, she was still clearly high on pain relief medication.

BB-8 rolled around below them, audibly excited about hearing Lyra’s voice. 

“Is that BB-8, he stayed here too? Oh, you are both far too kind, I don’t deserve you, do you have food?”

Poe laughed again. “Yeah, I can grab you some food, what do you want sweetheart?”

“Everything” she replied earning another laugh from him.

“Poe, where’s your jacket?”

“It’s currently getting cleaned, there was a fair amount of your blood on there” he replied.

She smiled lazily up at him as she ran a hand through his hair lovingly. 

“Poe, can I ask you for one thing?”

“Anything.”

She stroked his thick curls softly. “Can I keep your jacket?”

“If you get better you can keep anything of mine sweetheart.”

Her eyes went to close again, she was still weak from the blood loss.

“Everything? Those are big words Flyboy. Even you?”

Poe stared down at her. “If you want, even me.”


	10. The Worst Type Of News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked the last chapter. I wanted to show Lyra and Hux’s first meeting so you could get a feel of what their dynamic as a couple is like. My canon Hux is actually a massive sweetheart under that stoic façade he puts on. I wanted you guys to see he could be a little awkward goofball softie before years of service in the First Order. For those of you massive Hux fans he WILL return in present tense too, he’s not just been banished to flashback land. Thanks to everyone who has left kudos and reviews! It means SOO much!

It took another week for Lyra to fully regain her strength again. Leia had banned her from completing any more missions and her feelings of uselessness was overwhelming. She had spent the whole week either talking with Rey and Finn or reading in Poe’s room, talking to him about his missions and feeling envious when he was sent out without her. 

He came back one afternoon to find her sat on his bed reading again. 

“That must be a pretty interesting read seeing as you have barely looked up all week, what are you reading up on?” he asked, sitting on the bed with her.

“Binary. I’m trying to learn binary so I can understand BB-8” she replied, her eyes not leaving the data pad. 

“Binary? You’re learning how to understand my droid?”

She nodded, looking up at him. “Right now it’s a one way conversation and I feel bad not being able to have a proper talk with him. He’s always trying. I want to be able to speak to him.”

Poe stared at her with a dreamy, far-off look in his eyes, causing her to giggle. “What? What is it? That isn’t stupid is it?”

“No that’s not stupid at all, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. Everyone I’ve ever known who understands binary did it for work not just because they wanted to have a casual conversation with a droid.” 

She frowned at his lazy grin. “You’re making it sound so silly. It’s not just any droid, it’s B.”

Poe laughed, laying back on the bed as Lyra looked over her shoulder at him. “No, no I don’t think it’s silly at all, it’s beautiful, I love it. BB-8 will be ecstatic.”

“Well, I think I have the basics covered by now at least. What about you, what exciting mission did Leia allow you to go on this time?”

Poe looked at her as her face fell. He knew she was finding it hard to stand on the side-lines, unable to help more. 

“I’m not answering that, you won’t like the answer.”

She let out a loud sigh and lay back on his legs. “I’m so bored Poe, entertain me. Tell me a joke at least.”

“What do they call Han Solo when he smokes a blunt? Han so high” he replied.

“I think that joke might have just opened up my wound again it was so bad.”

He laughed and sat up, leaning over her. “You wanna see my X-Wing?”

She raised an eyebrow. “If that was a euphemism then no, I’m married. If it wasn’t, you showed me already remember?”

He winked at her. “You saw her docked, you haven’t seen what she’s capable of in flight.”

Lyra sat up suddenly, putting her data pad aside. “Leia doesn’t like anyone taking unscheduled flights.”

Poe grinned. “Leia is busy. It’s dark outside and Jess is on inventory duty tonight so I might just be able to persuade her to allow us to take a little joy ride around the planet.”

Lyra jumped up, putting on Poe’s jacket and headed for the door. “Come on let’s go!”

Poe followed her out to the hangar, taking her hand as they approached it to stay hidden from the other inventory checkers. They kept to the shadows until they saw Jess, sauntering over to her casually. 

“Hey Jess, nice evening we’re having huh?”

“I know that look. What do you want Dameron?”

“Not much, just a little favour. Would you mind awfully just turning the other cheek while I take Lyra for a little spin in Portera?”

Jess rolled her eyes. “You do know the General forbid any unscheduled flights because of fly boys like you taking risky jaunts whenever you feel like it?”

Poe put his hands up as if in prayer. “Please Jess. It’s hardly a risky trip, it’s just a little spin around D’Qar’s atmosphere. I’m not going anywhere else. We’ll be back in an hour, give or take.”

Jess crossed her arms. “Fine, but if I get caught, I’m holding you responsible, I’ll say you threatened me, or BB held be hostage or something.”

Lyra and Poe thanked her before sneaking off to Poe’s oldest, most trusty ship. 

He sat in the X-Wing first as Lyra looked down at him. 

“It’s a one-seater, where do I go?”

Poe patted the spot between his legs and Lyra was instantly reminded of their escape from the Finalizer. 

“It’s a little tight Poe”.

“Best seat in the house. Come on, I’ll take you on the ride of your life, trust me” he replied.

As she looked around she noticed one of the inventory checkers was looking in her direction and she quickly ducked to sit in-between Poe’s legs. 

“I think someone saw me” she said as he fastened the seatbelt around them. He leaned forward to start the engine up, breathing against her neck softly. She could feel his heart beating against her back as his chest pressed up against her. For a moment she wondered how he could manage to smell clean and yet still smell faintly of air fuel at the same time. It was a wonderful contradiction and as she inclined her head to the side slightly to face him, she could have sworn she felt his heartbeat quicken.

“You ready for this?”

She nodded, staring into his deep brown eyes. 

“Alright, hold on tight.”

He pressed forward and the X-Wing took off into the air so quickly nobody would have guessed the ship was years old. As it hinged forward into the sky, she felt drawn backwards against Poe’s chest even more. 

“Wow, she really picks up speed fast” Lyra said quietly. 

“Oh sweetheart, you ain’t seen nothing yet” Poe grinned, as he flew the ship upside down into a corkscrew roll. Lyra gripped Poe’s thighs as they turned upside down and his breath caught in his throat as he tried to keep calm at her close touch. He bit his lip as the vibrations of Lyra’s laugh rang against his chest. 

“This is amazing Poe, even TIE fighters aren’t half this fast” she managed as the speed of the X-Wing almost took her breath away. 

Poe did one fast lap around the planet before flying lower so he could show her the sights of D’Qar. There were a few old temples and ruins scattered across the planet, seemingly from a time long passed. The only signs of life near them were the birds perching on the tops of the ruins. One of the reasons the Resistance had chosen this planet as a base was because of the lack of intelligent life, no scary animals large or dangerous enough to harm the rebels as they worked. 

The ruins were proof that D’Qar was home to intelligent life once, perhaps even humanoid species and now with the rebellion making a home there, it was home to intelligent life once more. New beginnings for them all. 

“It’s so peaceful here, I can see why Leia wanted to stay here” she whispered.

Poe nodded. “Yeah, it took me a while to get used to it. The quiet that is. I’m used to all noise and action all the time, it didn’t feel like home at first. Yavin always will be home to me but even that aside, this place took getting used to. It’s really the General and the squadron that made me realise it wasn’t all that bad.”

Lyra relaxed her back against him and nodded. “I have found over the past few years that it’s the people that make somewhere a home, not always the place. It’s when you have nobody that you feel most out of place, like you don’t belong.”

“Is that how you managed so long on the finalizer? Because Hux made you feel like you belonged in a place that you wouldn’t usually belong in?”

He saw her nod her head. “I know it seems strange to you, our relationship. How I could ever love such a man, such a monster? But he wasn’t always that way. He was shy and soft and kind. He had come from a childhood filled with nothing but cruelty and abuse. He sacrificed a lot to be with me, almost everything he had at one point. He sacrificed his relationship with his father entirely, cut ties with those he grew up with, even lost promotions, all for the sake of being with me. He could have chosen any noble girl, any pretty daughter of a military family, but he chose me. And not just that, he loves me, he would have died for me. I think he might have even killed for me.”

She looked back at Poe with tears in her eyes. “I know I shouldn’t love the man you know, but the one I knew, for all those years, he was different to the one I ran away from.”

Poe shrugged. “Lyra, you don’t have to explain loving your husband to me. I’ll always listen if you want to talk but, you don’t need to defend yourself against me. We have all done crazy things for love. I’ve done crazy things in this war, things I thought would save people but they ended up costing more lives than it was worth. Leia still believes in me.”

Lyra held back tears as she smiled to Poe. “You are too nice for your own good Poe Dameron. Infuriatingly so. Why must you be so understanding all the time? Why do you have to be so ridiculously perfect?”

“Far from it. Trust me, I just know it’s hard to explain your actions to others sometimes. Hey, you wanna fly the ship for a while?”

“I don’t know how to fly Poe.”

He grinned. “Now is the time to learn. Here, I’ll teach you, put your hands on mine and I’ll show you what to do.”

She placed her palms on top of his as he mapped out the movements of flying, showing her which buttons to use and what gears to use, after that it was just about teaching her how to steer the ship. She took to it quickly and Poe watched on as she grew more confident with each minute passing. 

“You’re a natural at this” he said, smiling at her through the glass of the X-Wing as she concentrated hard on steering the ship well. 

“I’m no Poe Dameron but I could get used to this” she laughed. 

“You wanna help bring her back home?”

She nodded and once again placed her palms on his as he showed her how to bring the X-Wing in low and safely land in the ship hangar. 

Poe helped her out of the X-Wing and closed it behind them.

“Hey, you two aren’t meant to be here unauthorized!”

“Run” Lyra laughed as she grabbed Poe’s hand and ran with him back to the base living quarters. As they stood in the hallway together they laughed, they laughed until they both forgot what they were even laughing about. 

“Thank you for tonight Poe, it was a welcome distraction” Lyra told him, leaning against the wall. 

He moved to lean against the wall next to her. “That’s ok, I could see you were going stir crazy, only so many books you can read before it hits you.”

“What hits you?”

Poe tickled her arm gently. “The itch. You know, the need to do something more, that pull. The urge to do something big, or crazy. More often than not both those things. Like, standing on the edge of a cliff and having the urge to jump off, or fly your ship right into something, or kiss someone you don’t know likes you or not. Or someone you like but know you shouldn’t. That type of thing.”

Lyra’s eyes widened. “Yes, that feeling, I know what that feels like. It took me six years to get any sort of itch and then, all the itches are happening at once. It’s maddening.”

Poe’s shoulder touched hers as he leant his face closer to hers. “You mean, you feel it too? This pull, you think it’s one between us maybe?”

“Poe… I’m married.”

“I know but, that isn’t what I asked. Lyra, do you think maybe if you weren’t married, there is, there could be something, between, ah kriff, can’t speak or think straight with this type of stuff, with you anyway. I don’t know how to express it.”

Lyra bowed her head as she bit back the sinking feeling in her chest. “Then maybe, maybe these types of things are better left unsaid.”

Poe sighed, leaning away from her. “Yeah, yeah maybe you’re right. Goodnight Lyra, I’ll see you tomorrow ok?”

“Goodnight Poe, and thank you again for tonight. I want you to know everything you do for me, it means so much. It really does.”

He gave her a faint smile before retreating into his room, leaving her to do the same. 

Inside her room, Lyra felt a huge weight on her shoulders. As if everything she couldn’t have in her life was suddenly sitting on her, Armitage, Poe, her lack of involvement within the Resistance the past week. Even the guilt of leaving behind the First Order. Her dream of Armitage and their first meeting had played on her mind since she had woken from her injury. She struggled to erase him from her head at the best of times, but the dream had brought the memory of him sweeping back. She missed him, she missed his rare smile. She missed him stroking her cheek when he woke up in the morning and believed her to still be asleep. She missed how he would look at her when she surprised him with another fact she had picked up on while reading. 

There had been no closure between her and Armitage. There had been no closure between her and the entire life she had given up with him and it was starting to eat away at her. She tried desperately to push it away, everything away. Even Poe. Poe Dameron, the man who reminded her of what it felt like to be useful and cared for. The man who reminded her how to laugh, who seemed to relish spending time with her. The man who she felt already too close to for it not to be considered wrong given her marital status. But Poe had given her escape from the First Order meaning, and she couldn’t let that fact go, not even if she wanted to. 

Sleep did not come easy that night, nor did it come easy for Poe, who also lay awake thinking about the current situation between them both.

XXX

The next day the base was bustling around, busy as ever. Lyra felt sure that any day Leia would tell her that she was fit and able to participate in another mission again. Working with Poe once more might ease the tension of last night between them. She hadn’t seen Poe all morning and felt certain he was avoiding her on purpose after she had rejected him.

She hadn’t meant to, it was a difficult issue to handle and with everything still so new and different to her, dealing with another man’s feelings for her was more than she could handle. Especially when she was so unsure of her own feelings. She could not bear the thought of him angry or upset with her. He was one of the very few people in the galaxy she felt close to, and she would try everything not to lose that. Going on another mission together would hopefully ease the tension. It had to.

Finally in the afternoon, she headed to the cantina, thinking it was around the time for Poe to grab his usual mid-afternoon sic cake break. By the time she reached it, many of the rebels, including Poe were stood outside by the holographic information board. She made her way to it but as she approached it, Poe turned and saw her.

“Lyra, you don’t want to look at this, I’ve just asked them to take it down” he told her, a hand on her shoulder as if to stop her getting closer.

“Let me see what? What is it?”

Poe kept her at a distance. 

“Poe, what is this? Stop it, let me see.”

He reluctantly let her go and she tried to move closer to the hologram messages. When the rebels saw she was there, they stepped aside to let her move closer. But the message she saw, was one she instantly wished she hadn’t.

The First Order had signed death warrants for a handful of known rebels, and then there was a familiar name. 

“Lyrasanna Nyine, wanted dead. Dangerous war criminal, armed and working closely with the Resistance.”

They hadn’t even used her married name. And then it got worse, the warrant was signed, ordered by someone she knew all too well.

By order of General Armitage Hux. 

Lyra’s head felt dizzy, she read it over and over until she was sure it was really Armitage’s name. When it sunk in, she backed away, not uttering a word, no tears, no noises of complaint. Just dead silence. Until Poe reached an arm out to her.

“Lyra, I’m so sorry.”

She pulled away from him. “Go away, all of you leave me alone” she shouted before turning on her heels and leaving the rebels to watch her with pity as she went. 

Poe followed after her, until General Leia held out a hand to stop him. “Give her a minute Poe, she needs time to process this.”

He obeyed, leaving Lyra to run up onto one of the hills ahead of the docks as she ran from everyone else she knew. Falling to her knees, she hit her fists on the ground and screamed out so loud she could have sworn the ground beneath her shook. Armitage was finally done with her.

She was nothing to him now, nothing but rebel scum that needed to be wiped from the galaxy. She was after all, everything he had spent the last few years learning to hate. She dug her nails into the grass as the tears fell. They fell and fell and they did not stop.

In the distance, Poe watched on, wishing he could comfort her, but nothing he could do would fix this. Nothing at all. BB-8 stood by his side, emitting sad little beeps, sensing his master’s misery. He looked down at his droid and frowned. “Hey little buddy, I don’t think she wants to talk right now, maybe you could just go see if she’s alright? Just go stay by her, unless she wants you to leave.”

BB-8 nodded his head as he rolled over to her slowly. He waited behind her as she sat on the hill staring into the distance as her tears fell. He emitted a single sad beep.

“Hello B” she whispered. He came around to face her and she looked at him. When he saw her tears, he let out a series of worried noises.

“I’m not injured. I’m just sad” she replied, turning to look down at the ground. 

The little droid rolled closer to her and allowed her to rest her head on his own. She was grateful for the silent comfort. Still not able to process her feelings, cuddling the droid without having to talk was a welcome move. 

Poe couldn’t help but smile a little at seeing his droid comfort Lyra. The sight of both of them together was enough to melt his heart, but Lyra was hurting and it killed him to watch. Poe hated Armitage Hux, for everything he stood for, for the obstacle he was between him and Lyra and now, he hated him for turning his back on Lyra in the worst way possible. There were plenty of people in the First Order who could have signed her death warrant, but he had chosen to sign it himself. The man truly was a monster. 

Poe stood watch over Lyra for hours, BB-8 didn’t leave her side the whole time she sat there. Even when the sun set and most of the rebels turned in for the night. 

“Is she alright?”

Poe turned to see Rey stood there, arms crossed as she stared out at Lyra.

“I doubt it. She’s been there for hours now, just staring. BB-8 won’t leave her. I don’t know what the best thing to do is” he replied.

“I think you should try to talk to her. Now the shock might have calmed down a little. The worst she can do is send you away.”

Poe nodded solemnly. “Why don’t you talk to her?”

“Because I’m not the one she’s glued to the hip to. You’re the only one she probably wants to hear right now. Go to her” the scavenger told him. 

Poe paused, taking a deep breath in before making his way up the hill to Lyra’s side.

BB-8 livened up at the sight of him.

“Hey buddy, can you, give us a few minutes? I promise you can cuddle Lyra later if she wants, alright?”

BB-8 hesitated, not wanting to leave Lyra’s side but he reluctantly sped away down the hill when Poe shot him a reassuring look. 

The pilot sat next to her, not knowing what to say or do to make her feel any better. 

“I’m… I’m so sorry Lyra” he whispered.

She nodded, her head still bent, looking at the ground before she looked out at the jungles of D’Qar. 

Poe caught a glance of her face. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes red from crying so much.

“You know, it’s one thing for the man you love to stop loving you. It is a different thing entirely to have the man you love be the one to sign a warrant that orders your own death. It’s as if I am just a stranger to him, nothing more than rebel bug he would squash beneath his boot. A few weeks ago he was telling me how much he loved me.”

Poe tried to hide his anger at Hux from Lyra. It wasn’t what she needed at that moment, even if he did feel like smashing the guy into the ground until he reached the other side of the planet. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not going to pretend I know what this must feel like but I’m sorry.”

“I don’t understand. I think about him every day, I miss him every day. I have been driving myself insane over the idea that fighting for the Resistance has separated me from him and his ideals. I had already gone over and over in my head how I would beg General Organa to spare his life if it came down to it. I could never hurt him, I can’t even imagine hurting him. Yet there that warrant is. One quick signature and it’s as if everything we had meant absolutely nothing. Not just a divorce, I was dreading a divorce, I wouldn’t have blamed him for it, but I was heartbroken at the thought. But this Poe, this is not just heartbreak, this is, I can’t even put into words how this feels.”

Another tear fell from her eyes and Poe held back from wiping it away.

“The First Order claims people for its own. Armitage might once have been a kind man but now, now he’s just a slave to the order. I don’t think it’s personal, I think that’s the nature of such a terrible organization.” 

Lyra looked up at him and frowned. “I’m not supposed to take it personally that my husband ordered my own death?”

Poe’s eyes widened. “No, no that’s not what I meant. I just meant, he’s been fed lies and has been manipulated by the First Order so much that he’s been made to believe the rebellion must die and the First Order must thrive in order for the galaxy to achieve peace. The First Order believe in killing some to save many. I think Snoke, I think he might have persuaded your husband that you were the only thing standing in his own path towards peace.”

Lyra sniffed, hugging Poe’s jacket closer to her. “Is this all meant to make me feel better?”

Poe nudged her shoulder. “What I mean to say is, I don’t think your husband’s mind is his own anymore, at least not the mind you knew and loved. Who knows, Snoke might have even blackmailed him to sign that warrant?”  
Lyra’s bottom lip trembled as she tried to bite back more tears and failed miserably. 

“Kriff, I’m not good at this empathy thing am I? Truthfully, your husband’s an asshole cos if I had you, I would be turning every planet upside down to find you and persuade you to come back home right now. But hey, Lyra, I need you to look at me right now” Poe told her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She did so, her lip still trembling as she tried to wipe some of her tears away, only to have them replaced with fresh ones.

“One day, not now, not tomorrow, maybe not even a year from now, but some day you will be over this. You are gonna fight, and laugh and live the best life you didn’t know you could and you know what, eventually Hux will be a thing of the past. You’ll find happiness and someone who loves you and treats you right, I know you will. I’m here for you Lyra, we all are, BB-8, Leia, Rey, Finn, the squadron. We are your family now and this pain you feel right now, it will be a thing of the past I promise you.”

Poe leaned over and wiped Lyra’s tears away before planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes as she felt his gentle kiss while his other hand rested against the back of her neck softly. It was innocent, there was no ulterior motive and she felt the genuine nature of his comfort. Poe Dameron, a pilot, a man far too good for the galaxy. 

Lyra wrapped her arms around Poe and tucked her head against his neck in an attempt to hide her tears from him. He held her tight and stroked her hair, staying there with her until she felt strong enough to carry on.


	11. The Battle On Takodana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I might have blown your heart to pieces with the last chapter, it had to be done for development and reasons, but that doesn’t mean Hux won’t return and it also doesn’t mean the story will go the way you think it will going by the last chapter. Hux is a complicated character, way more complicated than the films might have given him credit for so I plan to expand on that complexity. I hope you guys don’t hate me too much for doing it, but it needed to be done, and you’ll see why later in the story.

Lyra believed the best way to start to move on from Hux’s dismissal of her was to throw herself into work again for the Resistance. Leia had allowed her to help Poe and the Squadron once she was medically clear after the attack at Pau City. She had also thrown herself into combat training with Rey. However, the General, along with everyone else on base wasn’t stupid, she could see Lyra was recklessly throwing herself into whatever missions she could because she was hurting inside. 

One morning, Rey had woken Lyra up early to train with her again. It had quickly become a routine. Rey and Lyra would wake up early while the majority of the rebels slept, including Poe and trained before joining the others on whatever mission was requested of them. Han Solo and Leia had both agreed to go to Takodana to track down Maz Kanata, an old friend of Han’s to ask her for help in decoding the map to Luke Skywalker, and to convince her to join the fight against the First Order. It hadn’t taken long, for Lyra, Rey, Finn and Poe to request they join him too.

“Your footing needs work. You are good at dodging while moving backwards but you need to work on dodging while finding a way forward towards an enemy” Rey told her as the battled together using blunt sticks. 

“Sorry” Lyra replied, while trying to catch her breath. The combat training was going well and she already felt stronger thanks to Rey’s help, but since helping the Resistance, Lyra had put on some weight, thanks to Poe. She could have sworn the man was trying to fatten her up for something. She knew he had been worried about her thinness when they escaped together and had tried everything to get her to a healthy weight. It was working, but almost too well. She had curves now, so much so, Poe’s pants were beginning to feel like a strange fit on her seeing as they clearly weren’t designed for anyone with hips. The weight on her arms was thankfully turning into more muscle than anything else but she had teased Poe about both of them growing a tummy over the past couple of weeks. 

“Don’t apologise, just work on it. It’s a lot to learn in a small amount of time, and you have been training harder these past few days. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I have to, I have to be able to defend myself, to fight back” she replied, lifting up her stick again as her and Rey sparred.

“Learning how to fight won’t protect you from everything that hurts you Lyra. I know why you’re doing this, but some hurts just need time to heal” Rey said quietly as she countered Lyra’s strikes. 

“I can try though.”

“You can try but you have to be kind to yourself as well. Anyway, we can train again tomorrow, I think Leia wants you.” Rey bobbed her head towards the General, who was stood watching over them. When Lyra turned to look, the General signalled for her to follow back to her office.

Lyra thanked Rey and followed the General through the base to her own private office. 

Leia’s office was far more understated than Hux’s. There were piles of unorganized files and pictures of her family, of Han Solo and Ben Solo before he became Kylo Ren. Leia indicated for Lyra to take a seat as she sat on the edge of the desk facing her.

“Lyra, I’m sorry about your husband.”

“Thank you General, that means a lot.”

Leia folded her arms. “Guys an asshole really, that was a crummy thing to do.”

Lyra gave her a small smile. “Poe said something along those lines too. I’m fine, really I am. I’m just waiting for the next mission you can throw my way.”

Leia nodded. “Do you know how old I was when I was thrown into the last war against the empire?”

Lyra shook her head.

“I was 19 years old. 16 years old when I decided to rebel against the empire.”

Lyra could scarcely believe someone so young would be so helpful in bringing down an entire regime. Lyra had spent her 16th year reading and learning programming. Hardly an impressive accomplishment next to Leia’s.

“That was very brave of you General, I can’t imagine having such courage at such a young age” Lyra replied.

“Yes you can. How old are you Lyra?”

“I’m 26 years old General.”

Leia raised an eyebrow. “That’s still young. You married your husband young?”

“We met when I was 19 and he was 22 General. I was 20 when we finally married.”

“And you were raised by people who believed in the First Order, and then married someone who believed in it?”

Lyra shrugged. “My parents didn’t really raise me, I was raised away from them, on Naboo, in hopes I would attract suitors and learn how to be a noble quicker. But as for Armitage, yes, he believed in the First Order. He started working closely to them not long after we married. He was always a military man though, a little different to Han Solo I should say.”

Leia smiled down at her. “A little different yes. My point is, you were surrounded by the First Order most of your adult life and yet, you didn’t follow them.”

“Only the sith deal in absolutes. I always took issue with everyone being under one strict rule. It seemed strange to me, to suffocate creativity and diversity. To suffocate people being free to be who they are.”

Leia smiled again. “You are stubborn. You remind me of me when I was your age.”

“You don’t understand how much that means to be General. I read stories about you when I was younger, about your bravery and your efforts to help people, it’s an honour to serve under you.”

Leia raised an eyebrow. “Serve under me? No Lyra, you serve with me. Perhaps it’s time to stop looking up to me and start believing in your own abilities. You brought down a First Order weapons dealer. You shut down communications in Pau City which has bought us more time to stay hidden from the First Order and you saved my best pilot from dying, more than once. You are very brave Lyra. I was born into a family that believed in the republic and democracy, you were raised to believe in the First Order and yet you rebelled against it.”

Lyra laughed. “I think it might have been foolishness and being in the right place at the right time.”

Leia frowned, placing a hand up as if to prompt her to stop talking. “Give yourself more credit than that. You have become a great help to us in the short amount of time you have been here. Besides, I’m not the only one who has faith in your abilities, I know Poe practically has stars in his eyes when you’re around him but goo-goo eyes aside, he really believes in you.”

Lyra blushed, smiling to herself. “I’m grateful for his support. More grateful than he will ever know, and grateful for yours General.”

“One more thing Lyra, if you ever need to talk, about anything. You know I’m here. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love to the dark side. I know that’s one of the reasons you are throwing yourself into these missions, to distract yourself from the hurt but the thing is, Poe is equally as reckless at throwing himself into the fire. I don’t want to lose two amazing young rebels to foolishness. You be careful, and please know my door is always open if you need to talk.”

Lyra stood up and threw her arms around Leia in a clumsy hug. Her mother had never pulled her aside to give her any sort of advice from a place of caring. Vega Nyine had only ever given her advice based on what would make the family name proud. 

Leia’s advice was different. It was genuine. And while she wanted her to remain safe so that she help the Resistance further, Lyra knew Leia had come to care for her and wanted her to be safe. The General patted her back as she returned the hug for a moment before Lyra pulled away.

“I’m assuming you are joining the others to Takodana?”

Lyra smiled. “Yes, of course. With your permission General?”

Leia nodded. “Go with my blessing. Just, be careful. And no jumping in front of blaster fire this time.”

“I’ll try my best General” she called out as she left Leia’s office.

Lyra found Finn, Rey, Han and Poe all preparing to leave at the docks.

BB-8 rolled around excitedly between Rey and Finn as Poe did a last final check on his X-Wing.

“Hey guys, are we ready?” Lyra asked as she checked her blaster was on safe mode before tucking it into her pants.

Finn nodded, though he looked nervous.  
“All systems go. Although, I think Poe is a little heartbroken you aren’t flying with him.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “We aren’t glued at the hip you know.”

BB-8 beeped loudly and Lyra narrowed her eyes at him. “We are not!”

Poe climbed down and Lyra noticed him in his Resistance uniform for the first time.

“Orange looks good on you” she commented as the others pretended not to listen in to their conversation.

The pilot winked at her. “Oh yeah? You should see me out of it. Orange aside, you sure you don’t want to join me?”

Lyra shook her head. “I’m best on the ground. Besides, I want to help the others. Everybody already thinks I spend all my time with you. And this Maz Kanata sounds fascinating.”

Poe sighed. “Just, take BB-8 with you ok? And be safe. And radio through if anything goes wrong. And don’t act the hero....”

Lyra put a finger on his lips. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been training with Rey, and you taught me how to take the blaster on and off safe mode remember? I’ll catch you later flyboy.”

Poe resisted the urge to hold her close in goodbye and nodded. “Alright, catch you later. I, You know I, just be careful.”

Lyra went to follow Rey, Finn and Han Solo to the other ship but not before turning to Poe one last time.

“Poe, come back to me in one piece, alive, or I’ll kill you myself.”

Han Solo rolled his eyes. “Come on lovebirds, we’re leaving now.”

The journey to Takodana was a complicated one. Maz Kanata was known to many as Queen of the pirates and it showed. It was clear she did not want her palace on Takodana to be found by the wrong sort. Or rather, any law enforcement. When they finally arrived, it was as if they had stepped into coruscant, if coruscant was in the thick of a jungle planet. There were markets all around the palace itself and a rather grand statue of Maz herself stood by the palace entrance.

The palace’s interior was hardly grand, not in a traditional sense. The visitors inside looked as if they came from every corner and crevice or the galaxy and lounged around with drinks and exotic dancers balancing on each hip.

The palace was filled with people who had clearly vowed to stay out of the business of war, choosing only to follow whatever path brought them money. Maz herself wasn’t one to choose a side and fight for the good of the galaxy, but Han Solo was an old friend and he was sure she could help them, as well as be persuaded to help fight alongside the rebels when they really needed her. 

When they finally found Maz, stood at a bar, debating with one of the patrons, Lyra had to suppress a laugh. She was, fully unexpected. As Queen of the pirates, Lyra expected an imposing figure, one who kill you if you looked at her the wrong way. Instead, she saw a humanoid creature not much taller than BB-8, with large glasses that made her eyes look huge. Her voice didn’t match up either, she sounded kindlier rather than imposing when she greeted them.

“Han Solo, and I see you brought friends. I assume you need something so let’s get to it. Have a seat, all of you.” 

Drinks were brought to them and Lyra stared down warily at the cup. It was some sort light blue liquid that bubbled lightly. Lyra waited until Han and Rey took a sip before her and Finn followed suit.

“We need your help with this map, it leads to Luke but we need help deciphering it, we think there’s another piece missing too” Han asked Maz.

She took BB-8’s part of the map and inspected it. “Hmm, you are right, there’s another part missing. But you also need to re-route this part here, simple code really, it’s easily done by…”

“Bypassing BB-8’s main shield trajectories straight through to the hacking software, damn… why didn’t I think of that first” Lyra finished, causing Han, Rey and Finn to look at her in surprise.

Maz’s glasses magnified a few times before she got up on the table to get closer to her. “Smart girl. When you live as long as I have you see the same eyes in different people. You and the boy” she nodded her head towards Finn. “You both look like you are running from something.”

“We did our running already. We fled the First Order” Lyra countered, backing her face away from Maz’s closeness. 

“Hmm, but running to what I wonder. Still trying to find your place in this galaxy, and in this fight. But there’s something I see in your eyes, a strength you have yet to uncover.”

Lyra shook her head. “I know where I belong now. It was made clear to me not long ago.”

Maz continued to stare at her. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that my dear.”

Finn stood up, throwing his blaster at Han. “I need to leave, we all should. We can’t win this fight against the First Order, it’s impossible. I thought I would help you guys in finding the map to Skywalker but anything beyond that, I’m not sure I’m up for that.”

“Finn, we are proof we can win this fight. If we realised the First Order was wrong, then others in its service might too. If the rebellion is strong enough, people will fight by our side” Lyra argued.

“No, we can’t win. They have more weapons, more ships, more everything. I can’t do this, I’m sorry” he said.

Rey, Han and Lyra watched in disbelief as he left to find a way off the planet. 

“He’ll be back. He has to come back. He has nowhere else to go” Lyra frowned, drinking down the rest of her drink. “I’m getting another drink, I’ll find you in a while.”

As Rey, Han and Maz stayed put, Lyra walked back outside to the markets, dismayed by Finn’s sudden change of heart. She couldn’t believe Finn’s cowardice, he had worked with the Resistance as closely as she had, he was as close to the others as she was. For him to turn his back on them now, she could hardly believe it. She understood his fear, she felt it too. Now, the idea of coming face to face with the First Order terrified her, especially if she was to ever be face to face with her husband again. But backing out was not an option now. There was too much at stake, and it’s not like the First Order was known for taking back traitors and treating them well. 

In the markets, Lyra noticed a trader selling little wooden models of ships and creatures from across the galaxy. There, hidden amongst a model of a porg and an imperial war ship, was a little X-Wing. It wasn’t much, but she knew Poe would appreciate it all the same. Even after haggling, she still bought the model for more than it was worth, but getting something for Poe seemed fitting. It was him that had provided her with so much already. 

Up ahead in the skies, Lyra heard loud rumbles and as the people of Takodana looked up, her heart sank at the sight. 

TIE fighters. 

She made to run inside but the TIE fighters began shooting at the palace, and already people were fleeing the building in fear. Han and Finn emerged and Lyra cornered them.

“We need to leave now, where is Rey and BB-8?”

Han shook his head. “She left, she was scared by something she saw and she ran, the droid followed her.”

More First Order ships arrived and as the descended, Stormtroopers emerged. Finn grabbed at Lyra. “We need to leave now.”

“No! We can’t leave without them, just pick up your weapon and fight if you have to” the young woman shouted over the noise of the ships. 

Her hands were shaking as she took out her blaster, Aryss was the first and only person she had ever killed. War and murder wasn’t something she was yet accustomed to, but the First Order were truly her enemy now. They would kill her with no hesitation, in fact, she was effectively walking around with a target on her back since her death warrant was signed. But still, taking a life was hard, it had been hard the first time, she hadn’t slept well for days, Aryss’ lifeless staring eyes still haunted her. But she thought of her friends, she thought of Finn and Rey and Poe getting hurt, even BB-8. She wouldn’t allow that to happen, not if she could help it. 

As the Stormtroopers began shooting at them all, Lyra shot back, after two misses, she hit one square in the chest, sending him backwards. Poe’s voice sounded on the radio.

“Lyra, are you ok? The flight squad is coming in to help now, sit tight alright.”

She shot another Stormtrooper as she held the radio close to her mouth. “Poe, I’m ok, Rey and BB-8 are missing though, I’m going to look for them.”

“No Lyra, BB-8 is smart, he’ll find his way back to you, just stay close to the palace alright, I’m coming to pick you up.”

“Poe, I’m finding BB-8 and Rey first, I’ll be ok, just save me a space on the aircrafts ok?”

Before Poe could protest, she held the radio down before shooting down another Stormtrooper. 

All around her, the First Order shot at innocent civilians. She looked around, desperately hoping she would see Rey and BB-8 but they were nowhere to be found. Chewie and Han were fighting back the soldiers ok on their own but Finn, Finn had picked a battle with an unusually large Stormtrooper with just a…… a lightsaber? “Where the hell did he find that?” she wondered.

The Stormtrooper had him pinned on the ground, holding his weapon dangerously close to Finn’s throat. Lyra took one step forward, aimed carefully and shot the Stormtrooper right in the back of the neck, leaving him to slump backwards.

She ran to Finn, helping him up off the ground as Han and Chewie had regrouped together and just as a new ship of Stormtroopers landed, a shot hit them, blowing them sky high. It was Poe. He had finally arrived. 

The sound of panicked beeps alerted Lyra to BB-8’s presence as the droid rolled over, without Rey.

“B, Where is Rey?” 

The little droid shook his head. 

Just as he answered, the group looked up to see Kylo Ren carrying Rey’s unconscious form into his ship. Lyra felt sick at the sight of him. If he spotted her, he would drag her back kicking and screaming to Hux, or he would just kill her on sight, in the most painful way possible.

Finn went to run to her but Lyra held him back. “You can’t defeat him, not even with that” she pointed at the lightsaber.

“We can’t just leave her.”

“We’ll find a way to save her but right now, we need to go, now” Lyra begged, pulling Finn with her as they ran to the Resistance air carrier. As they boarded, Ren looked back at Lyra, his masked face practically drilling into her own eyes. She looked away fast, but not before she was sure he had seen it was her. 

The air carrier carried them back to D’Qar, and away from the First Order. Lyra only hoped Ren would keep Rey alive long enough for the Resistance to come up with a plan to save her.


	12. Kill For You

As Kylo Ren brought Rey onboard the Finalizer for interrogation, he passed a rather sour faced Hux, who barely regarded the girl Ren had captured. 

“Your wife is alive Hux, and she’s your worst fear imagined. She’s working with the rebels, right in the centre of battle.”

Hux widened his eyes as his heart beat faster than he thought possible.

“Ah, so you still hold out hope for her return. I advise you move on. She seems to have done just that.”

Hux narrowed his eyes at Snoke’s apprentice. “You don’t know anything about me Ren, and you never will. You had better hope that girl knows the location of the map, or I will report your failure to the Supreme Leader myself.”

With that, Hux turned on his heels and walked briskly back to his chambers, his heartbeat still frantic as he did so.

When he was in the secluded safety of his chambers he helped himself to a large glass of whiskey, drinking it down in one large gulp.  
Lyra was alive. She was working for the wrong side but she was alive.

As he stared out at the galaxy, pondering where she was, a particular memory struck his mind.

 

Six years earlier

 

Armitage paced the hallway as he waited for the medical droid to finish up with Lyra. He had begged to be by her side as she received the news but she had wanted him out, not wanting him to see her in an emotional state if her fears were confirmed.  
Finally, the medical droid emerged from the room.

“Well, what news?”

“Sir, after several thorough inspections, I can confirm your wife’s fertility issues are, a problem. The chances of her conceiving a child are 15-18% and even then, the changes of her carrying to full term without it being lethal for either her or the child is around 5-10%, even with treatments. I’m sorry sir.”

Armitage’s frown deepened. “Let me see her.”

The droid shook its head. “Sir, she requested that I tell you no. She wants to be alone.”

Armitage clenched his fists. “Dammit it all, this news is making her feel alone as it is, I will see her. Move” he said before pushing the droid aside and opening the door to Lyra’s bedroom.

As he closed it behind him, he saw her sat up on her bed, her back against the headboard and her head in-between her knees as she hugged them to her chest.

Armitage sighed as he approached the bed.

“Lyra....”

“Go away.”

“Lyra please.”

“I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“I don’t want you to be alone right now.”

“I’m fine, please just go away Tij.”

Armitage’s frown deepened even further. “Listen to me you stubborn woman, I’m not going anywhere.”

He sat on the bed in-front of her, unsure of how to comfort her.

“But you are going. You’re leaving me.”

Armitage sighed. “Leaving you? And where am I going exactly?”

He heard her try to hold back her sobs. “I don’t know, just away. Back to Arkanis, away from me.”

Stars, even when he couldn’t see her face, even when she was upset, angry with him, she was still beautiful to him. It was as infuriating to him as it was endearing. 

“I’m not going back to Arkanis, what would make you think I was going back?”

“I can’t give you what you need. You need heirs, I can’t give you that. You can’t marry me, your father won’t allow it. So, you’ll have to leave me and find another fiancé.”

He placed a hand on her arm as he stroked the exposed skin there gently.

“Lyra, I’m not leaving you.”

“You have to. You won’t want to marry me now. You’ll go and I’ll be alone again and I’ll spend the rest of this life without you and I can’t bear it Tij, I just can’t.”

Armitage tightened his grip on her arm.

“Lyra, look at me, please. Who says I don’t want to marry you?”

The young woman didn’t look up. “You want someone who can give you heirs. I can’t give you that.”

Armitage bent his head closer to hers and lowered his voice to a mere whisper loud enough for her to hear.

“I want you. Not some unborn child that doesn’t even exist yet. I want to marry you. I always will. All your hair could fall out tomorrow or you could lose all your limbs or suddenly forget to speak and I would still want to marry you.”

Lyra finally looked up, her eyes red from crying.

“You... you still want to marry me?”

Armitage’s expression softened. “Yes, you little fool. I’ll always want you, it will always be you I want to meet at the end of the aisle. Lyra, I have fallen in love with you in ways I didn’t know where possible for me to love another. What your womb can or can’t produce doesn’t change that fact.”

He wiped her tears away as his other hand curled around hers.

“It wouldn’t?”

Armitage shook his head.

“You love me?”

He nodded, stroking her face softly.

“Even with red eyes and blotches on your face and a little bit of snot running down your nose, I still love you.”

Lyra blushed, wiping her face quickly.

Armitage gave her a rare smile and she sank into his arms as he kissed her gently. He held her close, as if he never planned to let go as his lips explored her own, running his tongue along her bottom lip softly, coaxing her to open up to him more. She obliged and Armitage bit her bottom lip just enough to draw out a gentle moan from her. Lyra moved to sit in his lap as his arms circled her waist, drawing her even closer as she ran her hands through his soft hair.

“I love you too Tij, so much” she whispered against his lips.

As Armitage slid his hands up to her neck and went to deepen the kiss, Lyra pulled away.  
“Wait! It isn’t just about us Tij, your father, he would never allow us to marry. He already doesn’t like me. If he finds out I can’t bear you children, he will never allow us to be together.”

Armitage bit his lip as his familiar frown returned. “Let me talk to him. I’ll persuade him, don’t worry. I don’t want you worrying about it. You have suffered enough today as it is. I never want you to worry about anything ever again Lyra, do you understand me?”

The young woman nodded reluctantly. She knew Armitage’s father was a force to be reckoned with. Even Armitage feared him. The man had been close to reducing Armitage to nothing more than an unfeeling, unforgiving soldier, until he met Lyra. Challenging his word could prove a huge threat against the young couple. 

XXX

Arkanis was just as miserable, cold and soulless as Armitage remembered it. Lyra had wanted to join him, for moral support, but he had refused. He didn’t want his father making his soon-to-be wife any more upset than she already was. Brendol Hux used everything as a weapon, even words. Armitage had been on the receiving end of his father’s insults enough to know he would use Lyra’s fertility issues against her and make her feel weak and useless.

As Armitage walked up the ramp to his father’s military quarters, he realised three things. 1, he was destined to be a leader someday, 2, he would no longer allow his father to map his life out for him and 3, the thing he was most sure of, he loved Lyra. Finding out she couldn’t provide him with heirs had not changed a thing. He did not imagine what life would be like with sons and daughters running riot around him, he didn’t imagine what he could be missing out on without children, and his future with Lyra was still a perfectly painted picture he could see himself admiring for the rest of his life. 

Brendol Hux was already waiting for him inside. Sat at the head of the dining room table, he barely glanced up at the son he found weak and disappointing as he entered the room.

“Father” Armitage said, standing to attention. Old military habits die hard. 

“I assume you have come to tell me that your engagement to that useless girl has come to an end?”

Armitage straightened his back as much as humanly possible. He would not allow himself to be bullied by his father, not this time.

“And why on earth would I tell you that?”

Brendol stared his son down. “Don’t play dumb with me boy. I know the girl is barren.”

Armitage narrowed his eyes. “How, how would you know that?”

“When you decided you would become enamoured with such a, distracting thing, I asked that all her records be uploaded to my messaging system. I wanted to prove that she was a bad match for you, and finally, I have clear proof.”

Armitage crossed his arms behind his back. “I would ask you do not talk about my fiancé as a thing. I would also ask you not to spy on her. She is my business, not yours.”

Armitage spied his father’s fists clenching as his knuckles turned white. “My son’s future is my business. The only reason I saw a marriage for you being worthwhile, was so you could secure our bloodline. Not so you could spend your free time fooling around with some simple-minded female, galivanting around, looking for holiday homes in Cloud City and Cato Neimoidia, acting as if you don’t have more important things to focus on right now.” 

“I’m sorry you feel that way. However, she isn’t a thing, she’s a human being, and she’s to be my wife. It is considered quite normal for a man to want to spend time with his fiancé.”

Brendol Hux’s eyes bored into his son’s enough to intimidate even the most dangerous Hutts in the galaxy. Still, Armitage met his gaze and he would not back down.

“You mean to tell me you still plan on marrying her?”

Armitage nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”

“Why can’t you do the normal thing and just have her as a mindless plaything. I’m sure she would warm your bed for you, I’ll hazard a guess and say she already has. Stupid little girls like that are easy enough to manipulate.”

“Don’t” Armitage said, his voice barely higher than a whisper as rage began to sweep through him.

“Come now, it’s fine to have some fun with her, but you are not marrying a barren little whore.”

“DON’T CALL HER THAT!”

Brendol stood up. “I’m calling her as I see her. A silly, foolish little whore so useless she cannot even spread her legs and push something out of them.”

“STOP IT! I love her and I will not stand here and allow you to talk about her like that!”

The elder Hux smirked. “You love her. So it is true, no matter how hard I tried to teach you otherwise, you are determined to be weak. Just like your mother, she was so full of sentiment as well. I always knew your weakness would disappoint me. No matter how hard I hit you, no matter how much I tried to beat the weakness out, you remain a thin, useless fragile little lout, who will never amount to anything of importance.”

Armitage sighed, still holding his father’s stare. “I don’t care what you think anymore. I’m marrying the woman I love and I will continue my duties in the military and if I disappoint you by doing so. Then so be it.”

As Armitage went to leave, Brendol spoke the most haunting words Armitage had ever heard him say.

“If you leave and marry that girl, I will ensure you never rise in the military ranks, and if that doesn’t dissuade you still, I will stop this marriage. If it’s the last thing I do in this galaxy, I will make sure you and that girl are never left in peace. Am I clear?”

Armitage frowned. “We shall see about that. I expect I won’t see you again father. Not ever.”

The young man did not wait to hear a response. He turned and left, without looking back once. Leaving his father and Arkanis behind forever. 

Back home in Naboo, Lyra was stood out on the balcony, watching the sunset. Her pale pink embroidered dress blew gently in the evening breeze. She felt light touches of fingertips on her bare back and leaned back against her fiancé. 

Armitage wrapped his arms around her as she leaned her weight against him.

“How are you feeling darling?”

“Sad, like I know a part of me is missing now” she replied. 

He kissed her temple, looking out at the sunset with her. “You look whole to me. Beautiful. The most beautiful I’ve ever seen you I daresay.”

She turned her head to the side to look at him. 

“How did it go with your father?”

He kissed her forehead lightly.

“Not good then.”

Armitage held her tighter. “I don’t want you to worry about it darling. Soon enough, he won’t be a problem. I never want you to worry about him again. He isn’t worthy of your thoughts.”

She stroked his hands as they stood together admiring the view, both feeling certain that their marriage was the one thing they could both always believe in. 

“I’m setting the date by the way. June 15th” he whispered in her ear.

“But that’s only two months from now.”

Armitage smiled against her neck. “Well then, you had best start dress hunting.”

“Along with everything else you have to plan for a wedding.”

Armitage placed a chaste kiss on her neck. “And you only need to plan as much as you want, the rest can be sorted out. Please my darling, let us not worry about anything else. You need to rest after the shock of today. I need to catch up with Phasma, I’ll join you later.”

She turned to him and kissed him, reaching up on her tip-toes to do so. “Please don’t be long. I need you tonight.”

Armitage smiled against her lips. “Nothing that wasn’t of the highest importance could keep me away from you tonight. I promise I won’t be long. Wait up for me.”

She nodded before leaving him to contact Phasma, a merciless soldier who had been in the service of Brendol until just a few months ago, when Armitage had taken over her orders. They were both young, eager to rise in the military ranks. They knew they would be more useful to each other than working against one another. Besides, Brendol was just as horrific to work with as he was to be related to. 

“Phasma, are you there. This is Armitage Hux.”

The line crackled and then, her voice came through clearly. “Hux, what is it?”

“My father. I know you hate him as much as I do.”

“And? Your point being?”

Armitage held the radio closer, worried people could listen in. After all, Brendol had conspired with the medical droid to have Lyra’s records sent directly to him.

“He has reached the end of his potential. He has become a hinderance to everything we stand for. He’s even conspiring to end my engagement to Lyra. We must do something about him.”

There was a pause and then, Phasma spoke again. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

Armitage closed his eyes. “Yes. See to him. And Phasma, I needn’t enforce the fact that it must be, untraceable.”

“Consider it done Sir.”


	13. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry the last chapter was a little shorter than usual. In case you guys didn’t already know, Hux and Phasma really did conspire to kill Hux’s father Brendol so I thought it would be a nice little testament of Hux’s love for Lyra if Brendol’s dismissal of their engagement was the reason why Hux had him killed. Also kind of shows Hux’s bad side and slightly warped idea of romantic acts. Anyhow, this chapter is a lot longer and sure to please all of you fellow Poe Dameron stans. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

As soon as Lyra landed in D’Qar with the others, Poe found her, pulling her to him in a forceful hug.

“Can’t breathe Poe” she managed to say after a few seconds of being crushed.

“Sorry, it’s just, are you ok?”

She nodded as he rested his hands on her shoulders gently. “Fine, I’m fine, are you?”

He looked down at BB-8 who was looking curiously between them.

“Yeah, I’m good. You, you stayed behind for Beebee, you could have died” Poe exclaimed, kneeling down to rub BB-8 affectionately.

“I couldn’t leave him behind could I? I was too late for Rey though, Kylo Ren, he captured her.”

“I know. Did he see you? Does he know you’re here?”

She nodded. “I’m fairly certain he saw me yes, but the First Order left before they could see us return here. Poe, what about Rey, we need to save her. Ren will most likely torture her and kill her when he has no use for her. We need to get to her as soon as possible.”

“Easy, we will save her don’t worry. But we can’t just go in blind. We need to find the best way to get to her without getting the entire Resistance killed. Maybe... maybe Finn knows something about the Starkiller base, maybe he knows a weakness, as idea on how to bring it down. I mean, it was the Stormtroopers who worked on construction right?”

Finn was busy talking to Leia when Poe and Lyra approached. He was frantically telling her they had to leave to say Rey as soon as possible.

“Finn, we want to save Rey as much as you but we can’t just run into the First Orders clutches” Leia told him as she tried to calm him down.

“Finn listen to me, Ren would have taken Rey to Starkiller. We need to know if the weapon has a weakness? Somewhere we could strike it hard to bring it down once and for all. You worked on it, do you know anything that could help us?” Lyra asked.

Finn bowed his head, deep in thought as he thought hard about his past working on the First Order’s main weapon.

“The weapon’s core, it’s where the outer shield systems are located. If, if we could sneak in and plant explosives, we could bring the Starkiller’s shields down and make it easier for our fleet to bomb it and bring it down.”

Lyra smiled at Poe. Perhaps this fight could be won. But Hux? She hoped he was safe on the Finalizer. He seldom left his flagship, other than venturing out to oversee the completion of Starkiller and carrying out attacks using it. She shouldn’t have been thinking about his safety, after all, he had proven he didn’t care about hers. Still, the idea of him dying at her own hands and the hands of her comrades was too much.

“Does the Resistance have access to explosives that could do the job?”

“No” Leia answered Lyra.

Their faces fell.

“Well, not on D’Qar anyway. But, there’s a, there’s a chance some are still on the planet Felucia, left behind from the last war. There’s still a small outpost there, never found by the imperial forces.”

Lyra smiled again. “Perfect, I’ll retrieve the explosives, we leave for Starkiller, save Rey and then destroy the weapon.”

Leia frowned. “There’s just one problem. Felucia is one of the most dangerous planets in the galaxy. Crawling with dangerous creatures and that aside, there is fog that makes it dangerous to fly, not to mention it’s pretty prone to lightning storms this time of year. Besides that, when we left the explosives on the planet, we locked them away so even if the imperial forces found them, they couldn’t use them. Only a handful of people know the code to unlock the explosives, and I’m not of them.” Leia finished.

Finn put his head in his hands as he slumped to the floor.

“So it’s useless then. We can’t bring the weapon down?”

Leia frowned. “I didn’t say that. A Cerean Named Bilek Yorda lives on Naboo. At least the last time I saw him he did. He knows how to unlock the explosives.”

Lyra grinned. “So it’s settled then. I go to Felucia, I bring the explosives to Bilek on Naboo, come back here, drop them off to you guys, rescue Rey and then we bring Starkiller down with the Resistance’s fleet.”

Leia raised an eyebrow. “You looking to replace me as General?”

Lyra beamed up at her. “I’m not a patch on you General. But at least now we have a plan. We can do this. We just have to pray Rey keeps Ren busy enough to keep her alive until we can get to her.”

Leia winked at her. “I guess I don’t have to ask who you plan to take with you on this mission?”

Lyra looked at Poe who crossed his arms as he shrugged nonchalantly. “Going to one of the galaxy’s most dangerous planets? Lyra’s gonna need the galaxy’s best pilot to get her through those lightning storms if need be.”

The General rolled her eyes. “Of course. Both of you need to leave as soon as possible, and you had best be prepared. Poe, don’t be a hero. If the lightning storms get too dangerous, you land. I mean it. If you disobey that order and put yours and Lyra’s lives in danger, there will be consequences.”

The Resistance pilot frowned. “You don’t need to worry about that General. I wouldn’t put Lyra’s life in danger.”

He knelt down to BB-8’s level. “Hey buddy, I’m gonna need you to sit this one out alright? I need you to help the flight squad when the time comes but leave Felucia to Lyra and I.”

The droid made a sad little noise as Lyra bent to be on his level too. “I don’t want you risking your life again either B, not so soon after Takodana. Will you take care of Finn for us?”

The droid nodded, and Lyra kissed him gently. Poe smiled at her before resting his own forehead against his trusty droid’s head affectionately. 

As Poe and Lyra made preparations to leave for Felucia, the pilot watched her as she gathered the supplies they needed and began to store them on-board. She was so different to the girl he met a few weeks back on-board the finalizer. She was more confident in herself, fiercer than most he had come to know in the Resistance. Her boldness was beautiful, Hux had no idea what he was passing up with her.

“I guess it’s too much to ask that you don’t go on this dangerous mission with me?” He asked as he checked the ship.

“Seeing as I am the one who suggested this whole operation, yes. You aren’t getting rid of me that easy.”

He sighed, running his hands through his thick hair. “I just, I don’t want to lose you. I suddenly realise what Leia means about not jumping into the fire every time trouble arises.”

Lyra loaded the rest of the supplies into the ship before reaching a hand up to Poe, who was sat on the hull of the ship. He took her hand as she stared up at him.

“You won’t lose me. We work together, we make it out together.”

He nodded and jumped down from the hull after doing the final checks on the ship. 

“Alright co-pilot. Let’s go, and don’t you dare die or I’ll...”

“Or I’ll kill you myself” she finished. 

XXX

Felucia was as beautiful as it was deadly. The planet was a painting, filled with plants, and creatures and skylines of every colour. Leia’s co-ordinates to the old rebel outpost had been clear enough to find, though it was well hidden from the already slim amounts of known paths on the planets. The outpost itself was covered in a thick layer of fog and Poe regretted not having BB-8 with them to help shine more light on their route. 

With their blasters close by and their torches on, they were able to find a way inside, they only hoped they were the only beings on the planet that could. The inside of the outpost itself was untouched. No damage, no life, nothing. Just odd supplies and plant life that had somehow found a way in. 

As they navigated the small outpost, Lyra heard a distant hum. She separated from Poe to follow the noise until she came across something she didn’t anticipate. 

A rancor. Thankfully sleeping but still just as intimidating all the same. How the huge beast had found it’s way inside was beyond her, but it wasn’t safe to stay there longer than they had to now. She had only ever seen photos of them before and thought they were the most monstrous things she had seen just from looking at the photos. Its large, sharp teeth were too big for its mouth and drool dangled from its huge mouth. The claws alone looked as big as BB-8. It was a fearsome creature that would not go down easily if they were to wake it. 

“Hey, found anything yet?”

Lyra reached for Poe as she covered his mouth as fast as she could. He frowned, looking at her with a confused expression. She pulled him forward and nodded her head towards the sleeping rancor. 

“Kriff, ok, we have to find the explosives and get out of here” he whispered.

She nodded and they turned down the hall to carry on their search as quietly as possible. Not far from the rancor, Poe found a supply room and pulled Lyra in. They both searched through the supplies until finally, Poe found two small, heavy chests, each with a coded lock.

“Lyra, I think these are the explosives.”

She grinned at Poe. “I think you’re right, it’s the same locking system Leia described. Now we just need to get these onto the ship and over to Finn and the others on Starkiller base. Wait, the humming, it’s stopped.”

They both turned slowly to see the rancor waking up, moving to it’s feet slowly as their hearts stopped for a moment. 

“Lyra, run” Poe said, aiming his blaster at the rancor as it locked eyes on them both. 

“We both run, come on!”

She took one of the chests from Poe in one hand and aimed her own blaster at the rancor with another as the two made a run for the exit as fast as they could.

The rancor was slow but the smallness of the base made it easy for it to gain on them and the two began shooting at it to slow it down. The rancor roared so loud the whole outpost shook and the two friends ran as fast as they could to the nearest exit. 

As they ran down the next hallway, they saw an exit ahead and Poe turned to Lyra. “Run as fast as you can alright, if we get out before it, I’m gonna shoot that control panel and the door will close and keep it inside alright, just keep running, no matter what!”

They ran as fast as they possibly could, the adrenaline spurring them on until finally, they managed to get outside. 

Poe turned and shot the control panel, causing the door to collapse behind them and lock the rancor in. It let out another thunderous roar as they stood there, catching their breath. 

“You good?” Poe asked, putting his hand on her back.

She nodded and looked up at the skies. “I’m fine, I never want to do that again but I’m fine. Looks like more trouble up ahead. Do you think that’s one of the lightning storms Leia mentioned brewing up?”

“Kriff, I think it might be. We need, we need to find shelter and fast” Poe said.

“The galaxy’s greatest pilot afraid of a little lightning storm?”

“I’m not worried about putting myself in the eye of this but not you. Besides, I already promised Leia to keep you safe, come on. Let’s go find somewhere to shelter from it, and it better be somewhere too small for a rancor to slip into.”

They searched around for somewhere to take shelter from the incoming storm, but the planet was barely built on. There were no homes, no bases, not even a deserted ship in sight. Until finally, Poe found a small opening within the sides of a cliff. 

“Lyra come here, I think I found somewhere. This passage might lead to a cave. We can fit through this opening here” he said, taking her hand as he led her to the opening. They squeezed their way through and followed a tunnel down, until finally, they stumbled upon a beautiful sight.

It was a cave. Lit up by the most mesmerising bioluminescent plant life. In the centre of the cave was a small pool of water. The cave was a flurry of light purples, blues and silvers. It was the most beautiful sight Lyra had ever seen. Even more beautiful than the majesty of Naboo. 

“I think you might have just found paradise Poe.”

Poe let out a long whistle. “It sure is pretty.”

“It’s wonderful, if we didn’t have a girl to save I would suggest staying here. How long do you think the storm will last?”

Poe shrugged. “Could be a couple of hours, could be a day.”

Lyra widened her eyes. “A day? We need to get to Naboo to get these explosives unlocked.”

She went to the side of the pool and dipped her fingers in. It was warm, and the water shone a light silver blue the second her fingers contacted it. This place really was beautiful. 

“Hopefully time will be on our side, still, there’s nothing we can do about it now. Just gotta wait it out” Poe replied. 

He put the explosives down and watched Lyra as she continued to look around the cave in wonder.

“Poor Rey, I hope she can hold out until we can get to her.”

As Poe radioed through to the General to update her on their situation, Lyra inspected the flowers growing along the walls and marvelled at the way they changed colour when touched. The cave wasn’t particularly warm but the water in the pool was. It must have been heated by the planet’s core beneath them. Either that or water worked in some mysterious way there. Nothing about the cave seemed normal. 

“Well” Poe said with a heavy sigh. “Seeing as all we have to do is wait, better make ourselves comfy.”

To Lyra’s surprise, Poe threw his jacket off and then his shirt, causing Lyra to blush.

“What, umm, what are you doing Poe?” She asked, averting her eyes as he pulled his pants off.

“I’m enjoying everything this cave has to offer” he grinned before he jumped into the pool, creating a wave of blue silver around him as he did so. 

Lyra laughed as he let out a noise that bordered on a scream. Apparently, the water wasn’t as warm as he thought.

She watched him as he swam backwards until he reached the edge of the pool. The water was only chest height and as he stood up, Lyra couldn’t help but stare at the curves of his arm muscles and lines of his shoulder blades and collarbone. He really was handsome. Poe noticed her staring and grinned up at her. 

“Come and join me, the water’s actually not that bad once you get used to it, and I don’t bite. Not too hard at least.”

Lyra could have sworn he loved watching her blush. His grin only seemed to spread wider as her blush ran all the way up her neck and cheeks. 

“Come on, you know you want to. I won’t tell if you won’t. What happens in the cave, stays in the cave” he smirked.

“Alright fine, just stop being so bloody charming all the time” she smiled, taking her, or rather, Poe’s jacket and shirt off. She paused before taking the pants off, noticing that Poe was shamelessly staring at her. Strangely enough, he was staring into her eyes, safe for the occasional glance down. He tried so hard to remain a gentleman.

After stripping down to her underwear Lyra put her legs in the pool first, hissing at the coldness.

“Just do it, don’t even think about it just jump” Poe said, his eyes fixated on her own.

Taking a deep breath in, she jumped and as her body hit the water, a wave of silver blue surrounded her. 

“You look like some sort of angel with the light hitting you like that” Poe told her quietly. 

She dipped her head in the water quickly, the blue bioluminescence clinging to the strands of her raven hair. 

“Ever the charmer.”

“I’m serious, you look beautiful” Poe replied, sliding a hand over the surface of the water.

“Well, thank you. Not so bad looking yourself flyboy. And speaking of looking good, I think I saw Kaydel giving you a look the other day.”

Poe raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, what kind of look?”

“The kind of look that says she wants you to ask her for a drink after a mission.”

She would never admit it herself, but Poe could see the hint of sadness in her face as she spoke.

“Oh that kind of look. By the stars, I can’t believe it. Lyra are you, are you jealous?”

Lyra scoffed, hitting the water a little harder as she moved back against the side of the pool. 

“No, of course I’m not jealous. Why would I be jealous of another woman wanting to spend time with you? It’s not like I hold claim over you, it’s not like, you’re mine.”

Poe reached back to scratch the back of his neck as Lyra tried not to admire the flex of his muscles and failed miserably. 

“Please, you have me wrapped around your little finger and you know it. And you are jealous, but Kaydel isn’t someone you need to worry about” he smirked. 

“Oh really? Then who should I worry about?”

“Finn’s pretty cute, looked even cuter wearing my jacket. You should keep an eye out for Finn. I mean, he tried to save my life too so he’s looking pretty damn good in my books.”

Lyra stared at him a moment before laughing. “You’re kidding. Now you’re just saying things to make me jealous.”

“I’m serious, Finn’s got something, there’s something there. You don’t think he’s cute?”

“I haven’t looked, but yes, he’s attractive, I’m just surprised you think that?” 

Poe laughed softly. “Oh what, you have never found someone of the same gender attractive?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about it, I’ve been with Armitage for as long as I can remember.”

Poe nodded. “It… It doesn’t bother you does it, that I like people and not just one type of person, or gender?”

Lyra shook her head. “No, no, besides nobody with the amount of charm you have should limit it to just, women. Anyway, the jacket you lent me is nicer than the one you lent Finn so I know I’m your favourite.”

Poe smirked, lazily resting his hands behind his head. “You are jealous. Lyra listen, you don’t need to be jealous. Just because I’m not straight doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes for just one person.”

She was selfish. Selfish to feel any joy at all at his words. The idea that Poe had feelings for her was a double-edged sword. If she rejoiced in the news and returned his feelings, her heart would break from betraying Hux, if she denied Poe, she would break both hers and Poe’s hearts. 

“Do you know what your plan is after all this? After this war ends?”

Poe shrugged. “Probably go back to Yavin 4, build a home just like my mom and dad did, carry on working for Leia if she lets me. And hopefully, I’ll have someone by my side, someone who puts up with me, who can keep up with me. Hopefully marry them, have a few kids running around, maybe. I haven’t had time to think about it before but lately, lately that’s the vision that’s been running around my head.”

Lyra smoothed her hair out as she stared back at Poe. “That’s good, that you have a vision of your future and some sort of plan. You know what’s funny? I don’t. Ever since I left the First Order I have no idea where my place is in this world after this war is done with. I don’t know where I’ll end up living, or who I’ll be with. If I’ll be with anyone. Maybe that means I won’t make it out of this war alive.”

Poe stood up away from the wall. “Don’t say that. You won’t die. I won’t let you, remember if you die, I’ll kill you myself. That’s our rule. Besides, you won’t have nobody, you’ll have me. If you want me.”

For a moment, there was silence between them and Poe worried he had stepped over a line.

“I can’t have children Poe.”

Poe went to step closer to her. “What?”

“I can’t have children, I have an exceedingly low chance of even conceiving children and an even slimmer chance of carrying full term. I can’t, I can’t have a family. It’s one of the reasons why I love Armitage, because he chose me even after learning that news. He saw a future with me without the possibility of me giving him heirs.”

Poe frowned. “I see, and you think, that would put someone like me off?”

She looked down at the water, unable to look him in the eyes. “You mentioned children in your future, it’s hardly uncommon for someone to want children. I just, don’t like lying about anything, at least not to you. You deserve the truth always.” 

Poe sighed as he reached back and took the necklace off with his mother’s wedding ring.

“My father gave me this after my mother died with the hopes that one day I would find someone who would wear it with pride, as a token of my own love. The same kind of love my dad gave my mom. I want you to have it. At least with this, you will know that someone will always want you, despite everything else going on in this galaxy.”

Lyra shook her head. “I can’t Poe, I can’t accept that, that isn’t fair to either of us.”

“I can and I will and don’t tell me otherwise Lyrasanna Hux” he told her with a smile, fastening it around her neck.

Lyra smiled at him using her own words against her, revelling in the closeness of his body to hers.

“If anything, this means you can’t just go off and leave me anytime you feel like it. You have my mother’s ring and she always stays close to me which means, now you have to as well. I don’t make the rules I just follow them... sometimes at least.   
Look, keep it, and let it remind you on the days that you feel like you don’t have a future, you can have one with me. Even if it’s not as anything other than friends.”

Lyra held the ring close to her chest as she looked up at Poe. “Thank you Poe, this means more to me than you will ever know.” She ran a hand through his damp hair slowly. “How is it your hair manages to be so thick and perfectly kept even when it’s wet?”

“What can I say, good genetics I guess?”

She laughed as her hand lingered in his hair, winding one of her fingertips around a thick strand of it.

“What am I doing?” she sighed. “I have the best Pilot in the whole galaxy right in-front of me and I can do nothing but twiddle my fingers in his hair?”

Poe’s breath caught in his throat as he stared deep into her eyes. 

“Don’t do that Poe.”

“Do what?”

“Look into my eyes like a man in love starved of his lover’s touch. I swear if I have to look into those soulful eyes any longer, I might just start feeling things I really shouldn’t” she said quietly, despite making no effort to look away from him.

“Sorry, can’t help it, you’re just so…. perfect” he whispered.

Before Lyra could answer, his lips crashed into hers. Lyra’s hands gripped Poe’s hair as his own hands went to her waist and neck, pulling her closer to him. She moaned against his mouth and Poe took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, delving his tongue into her mouth and running it against her own smoothly. Lyra melted into his touch, feeling a passion in his kiss that she had not felt in a while. His hands gripped at her hips as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, her tongue darting out to meet his once again.

It was an odd feeling, to feel so out of control of her own body as it moulded lazily to Poe’s and yet feel as if every nerve in her body was alive and screaming, begging for more of him. As her grip on his hair tightened and their tongues danced with one another, Poe let out a moan of his own and Lyra wished she could play the sound over and over every day.  
It was only when his lips left hers and went to her neck, nipping at it gently, was she hit with the image of Armitage. 

He would always place chaste kisses on her neck. Not kisses like this, not like Poe’s kiss. Poe’s kiss was all desperation, desire and need. He kissed like it was the last time he would ever see her. It was wonderful, so wonderful the guilt she felt rose up and spread through her body like fire.

“Wait, wait Poe.”

He grunted and moved to kiss her lips again. For a moment she kissed back, before pulling away, resting her hands on his chest.

“What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No, no you were amazing. You are amazing. I just, I just can’t. I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I just can’t.”

As he tried to catch his breath, Poe rest his head against her forehead gently. “Why not? What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

Lyra’s fingertips lightly dug into the warm flesh of his chest, as if trying to hold onto him despite pushing him away. “I’m… I’m married.” 

Poe let out a long, loud sigh before pulling away from her. “Why is that your answer to everything? Someone asks you if you find me attractive, you say you’re married. I ask you if there could ever be something between us, you tell me you’re married. I tell you I have feelings for you and you tell me you’re married, like that answers anything.”

He moved away from her, getting out of the pool to dry off, leaving her to watch him, feeling helplessly torn between her own feelings.

“Just because I’m not acknowledging my feelings for you doesn’t mean I don’t have them Poe. This is as difficult for me as it is for you but I’m married, and it hasn’t exactly been long since I left Hux’s side in the grand scheme of things.”

Poe threw his shirt back on and frowned. “Yeah I get it. You’re married. Married to a man who wants you dead, so excuse me if I can’t understand where your loyalties lie.”

He regretted saying it immediately. When he saw the tears well up in her eyes he felt even worse at the realization his words had caused her pain.

“I’m sorry Lyra, I didn’t mean that, you know I would never want to hurt you. That was wrong of me. I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s fine. You’re right, I feel loyalty to a man who hates me. It makes no sense, I’m just stupid, and a fool for pushing away the one who really cares for me. What is wrong with me Poe?”

Poe went to the edge of the pool and knelt by the side. “Nothing is wrong with you. You aren’t stupid. These things, they take time to process. I’m sorry for kissing you. It wasn’t what’s best for you right now. I really don’t want to pressure you into anything. I would never want to push you into something that makes you feel uncomfortable.”

Lyra gave him a faint smile. “Please, don’t apologise, not for that. Not for being honest, not for being yourself.”

Outside, the sounds of the lightning storm still echoed through to the cave. 

“Well, it looks like we are gonna be here for a while, until the storm dies down. I’m gonna try to get an hour’s sleep, is that ok?”

Lyra nodded, crossing her arms over herself awkwardly as Poe put a blanket down on the ground to lie down on.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Lyra stepped out of the water to dry off. The cave was filled with nothing but the whistling and cracking sounds of the storm outside. His was turned away from her, curled up, facing the cave’s wall.

Lyra got dressed again as Poe lay awake, desperately trying to forget her rejection of him until eventually, he felt arms wrap around his waist. 

Lyra held him tight, pressing her forehead against his back. “Are you upset with me?”

Poe sighed as he reached down to stroke her hands softly. “No, no I’m not upset with you.”

Lyra relaxed as she felt Poe return her affection. “I just, I just need time Poe. Can you forgive me for that?”

“There’s nothing to forgive Lyra. Just try to get some rest while we wait for the storm to pass ok?”

As hard as they both tried, neither of them could sleep. If the noises of the storm weren’t enough to keep them awake, the confessions they made, swirling around their heads did. The rejection tormented Poe’s brain as the guilt wracked through Lyra’s. 

Everything was out in the open now, and yet, nothing had been resolved.


	14. The Rescue Mission: Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's left Kudos or commented so far, it means a lot guys! Hope the rest of you are enjoying the story, I’m sorry if I broke your hearts a little more with the last chapter but, just gotta mix things up as much as possible so the plot in the future pays off well :) Hope you enjoy this chapter, and don’t forget to leave that feedback if you so desire to let me know how this story makes you (hopefully) feel all the feels!

It took 3 hours for the storm to pass. 3 of the longest hours in both their lives. In the past, Lyra had spent days on end doing nothing but read old books over and over as she waited for Armitage to return from meetings and still, those 3 silent hours in the cave with Poe, feeling the guilt of hurting Poe, her closest friend, were painfully, unbearably slow. 

When the sounds of the storm subsided, it had been Poe who had offered to go outside to check if it was safe to fly to Naboo. Lyra waited for him anxiously until he returned to let her know it was safe and they made their way back to the ship in silence. It was only when they were halfway through their journey to the planet Lyra called home that one of them decided to speak.

“Are you sure it’s safe for you to be going back to the planet your home is in?”

Lyra looked over and smiled at him, trying desperately to move on from the awkwardness between them.

“Oh yes, I doubt anyone in Naboo would recognise me in a shirt and pants, I wore nothing but elaborate dresses and robes when I lived here. I highly doubt anybody would recognise me without Armitage anyway.”

Poe’s frown seemed to deepen at the mention of Hux’s name. 

“I’m serious. Is this a safe enough place for you right now?”

The young woman brushed her hair to the side as she looked over at the visibly upset Pilot. “No more dangerous than facing off against a rancor, or getting shot at in Pau City, or going undercover in a casino teaming with guards, or fighting Stormtroopers in Takodana….”

Poe couldn’t help but smirk. “Alright smartass, I get it. You can handle yourself. Just don’t change into a dress while we’re here.”

Even though he was still looking straight ahead, refusing to look at her, his gaze had softened. 

“We could really put everyone off our scent and have you wear one of my dresses” she retorted playfully.

“I would probably be able to pull it off” he said with another smirk. 

“You probably could. I would hazard you could pull it off better than myself.”

“Maybe, I mean, you haven’t seen my legs but lemme tell you, I think in a thigh high dress, they could be crowd-pleasers for sure”.

Poe finally met her gaze with a huge grin on his face, one that could make even the coldest of people fall in love with him. He could easily win over Finn she thought to herself. He had certainly won her favour. They burst out into laughter together and the tension between them was lost. For now at least. 

Naboo was as beautiful as Lyra remembered. As soon as they approached the planet she could practically feel the sun on her face, taste the fine wines found in the cellars of the grand estates, feel the soft grass beneath her feet. D’Qar had felt nice, especially with Poe and the others there to make her feel at home, but Naboo, Naboo was truly home. Sometimes it felt like the only planet devoted to peace. Untouched by war. Trade negotiations had always been the biggest issue on Naboo but fights very rarely broke out. It was her safe space, it was her memories and her peace and something felt deeply and inherently right about bringing Poe there with her.

Bilek Yorka, as it turned out, didn’t live far from Lyra’s own home. His home was based in the Eastern markets, down by the fountains in the main city centre that were built by the Gungans as an offer of peace to all who visited their home planet. It was hardly an inconspicuous location, but then after fighting alongside Leia in the war against the imperial forces all those years ago, all that work had probably earned him the right to a peaceful retirement. 

Poe watched as women passed them dressed in the sort of fancy dresses Lyra had worn before leaving the Finalizer. He followed her as she navigated through the streets in a way that only someone who knew the planet like the back of their hand could as he stared in wonder at the richness of the planet. Everything seemed so beautiful. Of course, Lyra’s home would be beautiful, just like her. It seemed only fitting he thought to himself. 

“I gotta ask you, do you miss dressing like…. That?” he asked, pointing to a woman wearing a dress with a train longer than some ships he had seen.

“Not the ones quite so, flashy, but yes. As much as I adore wearing your comfortable clothes, I do miss sometimes wearing my dresses. Back then, it felt like the only way to express myself” she replied as Poe tried his hardest not to stare too long at the wealthy, eccentric residents.

“But now you can speak freely, you can fight, you can wear clothes that don’t you know, hold you back. You don’t need 50 yards of fabric to express yourself anymore, right?”

“Poe, there are many ways to express one’s self. I can still point a blaster wearing a dress. It isn’t just about fitting one image. You know that best of all.”

Poe raised an eyebrow as a short, rather angry looking alien huffed at the Pilot not moving out of his way. He quickly manoeuvred around the flustered male to catch up with Lyra. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you are an incredibly handsome, talented, charming, I daresay confident Pilot. You could have a different woman, apologies, being, on your arm each night and yet, you remain one of the sweetest, most loyal men I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. We all have our layers.”

The Pilot nodded. “Well, I guess I never thought about it like that. Being surrounded by rebels and pilots all the time you start to forget people wear things other than orange flight suits, but hey, you think I’m handsome, talented and sweet? That’s a bonus.”

Lyra rolled her eyes as she cast a glance back at him. “You already knew I thought those things of you.”

“Yeah but it’s nice to hear it again.”

They made their way through the markets to Bilek’s home. Poe kept stopping to look at the things on sale at the market, shocked at how expensive everything seemed. Lyra eventually grew tired of him side-tracking them, having to remind him how Rey was still awaiting rescue on Starkiller and took his hand in her own as she tried to get him to match her pace. 

Finally, they came to the Gungan fountain and Lyra breathed a sigh of content as she watched the children playing in the fountain, and at the young women sat by the edge of it, tossing coins into the water with the hopes it would bring them good fortune. 

“I used to sit by this fountain all day when I was younger. Most of the time just to escape tedious lectures from teachers, but sometimes it was just to listen to the sounds of the water. It’s so relaxing, the sound of water, don’t you think?”

Poe was too busy staring at her smiling to notice the sounds of the water, but at her words, he stopped to listen for a moment.

“Well, it certainly isn’t like the sounds of X-Wings taking off. It’s pretty, but I would get distracted easily.”

She laughed softly before moving on. “Well come on then man-child, I think this is Bilek’s home just up ahead, on the left.” 

She led him to a busy residential street where the poorer residents of Naboo stood talking to their neighbours, hanging out washing as their children passed through the streets playing with various toys, laughing as they went. Bilek’s house was hidden away around the back, up a narrow set of stairs. 

When they knocked on the door, they were almost sure he wasn’t in. It was only when they knocked a third time, did someone answer.

“Who is it?” A voice sounded from behind the door.

Poe and Lyra exchanged worried stares. They quickly realised Bilek was from a time long before them, who was to say that he would trust them, and even if he did, who was to say he would be interested in helping the Resistance when he already served his time long ago.

“Are you Bilek Yorka?”

“Who wants to know?”

“Please sir, we are friends of General Organa…. Princess Leia Organa, we came here for your help” Lyra pleaded.

The door opened and the old Cerean peered down at them. “The Princess….. she’s a General now?”

“Yes sir, and this is her most trusted Pilot, Poe Dameron and I’m Lyra, I’m”

“One of Leia’s most trusted agents” Poe finished for her.

Lyra beamed with pride at Poe’s words but before she could express her thanks, Bilek ushered them inside his home.

To say the Cerean’s home was unorganised would be an understatement. There were books and artefacts from other planets everywhere, not to mention he seemed to be trying to run a zoo in his own living room. He motioned for them to sit down, making Poe reach down to move the large lizard like creature sat on one of the chairs. 

“So, the Princess is trying her hand at being a General now. Why am I not surprised?” Bilek said as he sat opposite them, offering them tea. 

“It’s an honour to serve under her sir, but we are to understand you helped a huge deal against Darth Sidious and the Imperial forces too” Lyra said, taking a cup of the tea from him.

“Oh yes, many years ago, tales for another time. Is there something I can help you with?”

Poe placed the explosives on the ground in-front of him. 

“It’s these, we understand you know the codes to these explosives.”

Bilek studied the explosives before nodding. “Well yes, but, what on earth do you need them for?”

“I’m sure by now you have seen the effects of the First Order’s regime? After the destruction of the Hosnian system” Poe said.

Bilek frowned. “A terrible, terrible day indeed.”

Lyra’s heart sank as she remembered it was her husband who was responsible for such destruction that clearly all parts of the galaxy had felt the effects of. 

“Yes, it was a terrible day. Our friend, she has been kidnapped by the First Order and with these explosives, set in the right place, we could destroy the Starkiller, the weapon the First Order are using as leverage against the galaxy, and the Resistance. Can you help us?”

Bilek smiled. “You know, this is a very dangerous mission. You and your friends are very brave for doing this. Of course I will help you. Here, take the codes and tell Leia she still owes me for that bet I won against her. She told me she would never get involved in military options again, I knew she would help out rebels whenever the opportunity arose. I wish you both the best of luck on this mission.”

They stood up and shook his hand. As he handed them the codes to the explosives Poe smiled at the old rebel. 

“We could use a man of your skill in the Resistance, I’m sure Leia would welcome you back with open arms.”

Bilek laughed. “You are too kind young man. But my fighting days are over I’m afraid. However, should you ever need someone to disable old coding for you, well, now you know where to find me.”

“Thank you Bilek, you have helped us more than you will ever know. I have a home in Naboo not far from here. Perhaps one day I can return here and listen to you tell me tales of the last rebellion” Lyra grinned as he showed them out.

“Of course, any time at all. Now go, and may the force be with you.”

“And with you.”

As they made their way back towards their ship, Poe looked out for Lyra’s home.

“Where is it?”

“Where’s what?”

“Your home?”

Lyra turned to look at him. “Oh no, no way. We aren’t going Poe, it’s too dangerous. What if Armitage is there?”

“I thought you said he was never home? Spends his life on the Finalizer now?”

Lyra sighed. “Yes but if he’s ordered my death, don’t you think he would have guards posted outside our home, where all my things are?”

Poe shrugged. “You would have to be the biggest idiot ever to go running back to the one place he would find you. I know the guy’s an asshole but come on, he’s gonna give you more credit than that? Look just, show me what it looks like from the outside. We will see the guards before we even get there if they have been stationed, just show me where it is, I wanna see.”

Lyra crossed her arms. “Just the outside, and from a distance alright?”

He nodded and she eventually relented, leading him to the richer district, not far from one of the planets largest lakes. When they finally reached it, Poe gaped at it in wonder. Even from a distance he could see how grand her home was. Out by the front of the house were intricate statues by the gate and the greenest grass Poe had ever seen covered the front yard. The building itself looked as if it was made of the finest sandstone, all pale gold and light blue roofs to fit in with the rest of the districts aesthetic. 

There were no guards on duty and Poe went to step closer before he was quickly pulled back by Lyra. 

“If there are no guards there, what if that means Armitage is home?”

“Relax, if he was home there would be guards, he’s a huge military target. Probably just means the servants are at home, you have servants right?”

She looked up at the open windows on the second floor. “Yes, well, Armitage insisted on getting a butler and I have Ileya, she’s been my maid since I was a girl.”

Poe rolled his eyes. Of course they had servants. “What do you miss the most from your home?”

She shot him a questioning look. “I don’t know, probably my dresses, and my bed, definitely my bed. I miss sitting on the balcony looking out at the lake too. Why?”

“Well, I can’t get you the bed, or the lake but I can get some of the dresses. You stay here, hold the explosives.”

Lyra reached for him. “Poe, are you insane? There is no way you are getting into that house! Besides, of all the dangerous missions you have completed, do you really want to say you were eventually brought down in Naboo, trying to steal dresses?”

“You’re worth it. Besides, I won’t get caught. See those vines growing up the side of the wall? I’ll just climb them, straight into your bedroom, pick some things out, be out before anyone even notices. Easy.”

Lyra frowned as he handed her the explosives. “Poe I swear if you do this, I will be so angry. This is by far, the worst idea you have ever had, don’t you dare, Poe….. Poe”

He gave her a wink before making his way through the open gates and over to the vines. 

“You bloody idiot Poe Dameron” Lyra whispered to herself as she watched him climb up the vines, making a point to look at the other windows to see if there was anybody else coming.

If it wasn’t such a reckless thing to do, she would have considered him even more perfect than he already was, going to such lengths for her. Then again, she had taken a blaster shot for him. That was verging on more impressive. He climbed the vines clumsily and she couldn’t help but giggle when he gave her the thumbs up after reaching her bedroom window after nearly slipping off twice.

As he disappeared into the house she waited anxiously by the explosives, resisting the urge to pace. Her maid was loyal to her, even above Hux, but he had no doubt enforced the severity of punishment if Ileya found Lyra and didn’t report her whereabouts back to the First Order. Ileya was loyal, but most likely not so loyal when her own safety and the safety of her family came into play. The First Order had made spies of everyone. Even close friends and family. 

A few more minutes passed until finally, Poe emerged from the bedroom window again, carrying a case with him. Lyra didn’t think she could see a bigger smirk plastered on the Pilot’s face. He was beaming with pride at his own success as he made his way back to her side. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and congratulate him for being such a wonderful idiot, but Poe didn’t need his head inflated more than it already was.

“I so desire to be around the day that your recklessness and charm doesn’t win everyone over. When do you think that will be precisely? When Acklay’s fly? When it snows on Mustafar? Do you think maybe now might be a good time to go and rescue Rey? Remember, our friend, the one currently being tortured and possibly dead already on Starkiller?”

Poe shot her another cocky smirk. “Boy you sure have a funny way of saying thank you, don’t you?”

“Thank you, for almost getting yourself captured for me, or worse, killed. Besides, if I thank you, your head might grow so large you might not be able to walk into your quarters again.”  
Poe tipped his head back in laughter as Lyra picked the explosives up and the two made their way back to their ship. 

“I know you’re trying to shut me down and act like what I did wasn’t a big deal, but you do realise you just made it obvious that you just care about me, a lot.”

Lyra smiled as she jumped into the ship, placing the explosives down carefully. “It’s funny, you would think me taking a blaster shot for you was enough to show you I care.”

As Poe sat down in the cockpit he grinned over at her. “You know I had almost forgotten about that. So really, me getting you those dresses was just, me squaring things up, right?”

As they took off for D’Qar, Lyra met his smile. “If my thanks is what you are after, then you have it alright. Tenfold. But you know how you can really pay me back for saving your life several times? Not get yourself into any more trouble, least of all for me.”


	15. The Rescue Mission: Part Two

Back on D’Qar, Finn, Leia, Han and the rest of the fleet had been anxiously awaiting Poe and Lyra’s return. When it was made obvious the two had been successful in finding and bringing the explosives back, they wasted no time in preparing the rescue mission and the assault on Starkiller. 

Not surprisingly, Poe had agreed to lead the attack on the base with his squadron and the rest of the fleet once the shields had been brought down. Finn, Han and Chewie were going to slip into the base first, free Rey, plant the explosives to bring the shields down and evacuate the base in time for the attack. Lyra had spent the last ten minutes debating with herself on her own role in the attack until finally, she came to a decision. 

“Poe, I’m joining the fleet on this one. I want to help bring this weapon down. I have a personal vendetta against Starkiller base, it will bring me great pride in seeing it brought down for good.”

The group turned to stare at her, including Poe, who looked less than pleased with what she had just said.   
“What the hell are you talking about Lyra? You can’t join the fleet.”

“Well I can hardly walk into Starkiller Base with the others can I? It’s teaming with First Order officers, any chance of slipping in unnoticed will be crushed if I go in with Finn and the others.”

Poe didn’t ease up. “So, you sit this mission out. Stay on D’Qar, help get everyone ready for the attack.”

“The hell I will Poe Dameron. You really expect me to sit this mission out when I had so much to do with organizing it in the first place?”

Poe crossed his arms and frowned at Lyra. “No, you are not flying, it’s out of the question.”

The young woman stepped closer to him. “You are asking me to miss out on the chance to bring down the weapon that wiped out an entire system. The very weapon that caused me to leave my own husband and old life behind. Please, you would never be so cruel.”

While Lyra’s large, pleading eyes were enough to melt even the iciest of hearts, Poe was adamant. “Lyra, this mission is for seasoned flyers only. You have controlled an X-Wing once, you can’t keep up with the fleet, let alone my own squadron.”

Lyra’s hands went to her head as she scratched her hair nervously. “Umm, yes, see about that. You know I’ve been combat training with Rey in the mornings, before you woke up. There’s a slight chance I may also have been alternating between that and persuading Jess to let me take your X-Wing out for flying practise too.”

Poe looked over at Jess and waved his hands around, exasperated. “Are you kriffing kidding me Jess? Really?”

The black squadron member shrugged. “What? She can be very persuasive. Besides, she wouldn’t leave until I gave in and let her fly, she would literally sit on the runway until I let her use the ship, what was I supposed to do?” Jess replied.

“My X-Wing, you have been practising with my X-Wing Lyra? What if you crashed her?”

“I didn’t though did I? I’ve obviously been adequate enough to fly her and not crash her. I haven’t even left a mark on her otherwise you would have noticed by now. Really, I think you’re being a tad dramatic here flyboy.”

Poe rubbed the bridge of his nose, barely believing what she had done without his knowledge. He didn’t know what was worse, that she had been taking secret flying lessons, or that she was right.

“I can’t believe this. Do you really have to get involved with everything you touch?”

Lyra gaped at him. “Says you, Mr I would literally throw myself into hot lava if there was even a 1% chance I would survive and get a chance to show off in-front of everyone.”

Leia couldn’t help but snort in laughter at that, shooting Poe a look that screamed ‘you know she’s right’.

He let out a frustrated growl. “I’m not gonna get you to change your mind am I?"

She gave him a patronising smile as she shook her head. 

 

“Dammit. Alright, Jess, how is she? You think she’s capable of doing this mission and actually surviving?”

Jess paused, looking between the two of them before giving Poe a short nod. “Yeah, I think she is. She’s not gonna be able to keep up with our squadron but, she can join the fleet. Especially seeing as the First Order won’t see the attack before it’s too late.” 

“I can’t believe this” Poe whispered to himself before meeting Lyra’s gaze. “I want you to know I think this is a terrible idea.”

“Just like breaking into my home in Naboo was. Yes I’m familiar with the concept of terrible ideas and I strongly believe you are too.”

If Poe wasn’t so against the idea of her joining the fleet, he would have smirked with pride at her levels of sass. 

“Alright smartass, I get it, I’m an idiot too. Just because I’m a reckless idiot doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.”

Leia snickered, “now at least he knows how it feels when I think he’s being a hothead” she thought to herself. 

As Finn and Chewie prepared to leave to save Rey and Han and Leia said their goodbyes to one another, Poe had a moment with Lyra. 

“I have a bad feeling about this you know.”

Lyra smiled. “I know. You just have to trust that I can do this, trust me as you have done every other time.”

Poe tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear gently. “You know I’m always gonna be your biggest fan and root for you. But this is going up against the First Order’s biggest weapon. This is literally the galaxies biggest threat right now and I’m just worried you aren’t a skilled enough flyer yet to pull this one off.”

In all her years, she didn’t think she could ever be as grateful to anyone, as she was for the man standing in-front of her. Poe cared for her in a way that, other than her husband, was deeper than anyone else had ever cared for her. Perhaps unlike her husband, he also believed in her abilities to succeed. 

“You know, this is the first real time, other than that first mission, you have really tried to stop me from doing something.”

“That’s because I’m worried about you this time, I really am. If my squadron goes ahead before the rest of the fleet I can’t be there by your side to help. That’s not to say you are more than capable of surviving without me. I’m just worried about not being there with you this time. I guess that’s more my insecurity than yours.”

She pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’s not insecurity Poe, it’s caring. You will never know how much I appreciate that. I just need this. This mission really, truly means something not just for the Resistance, but to me personally as well.”

“Well then, who am I to stop that?” He whispered in her ear. 

“Thank you” she whispered back, breathing in his scent.

“If we make it out of this one, you owe me a drink though.”

She laughed as she pulled away from him. “If we make it out of this one, I promise I’ll buy us all the drinks we want.” 

“Remember, don’t die.”

“Or you’ll kill me yourself, I know. Good luck flyboy. I’ll see you on the other side” Lyra retorted, before they made their way to their separate ships. Ready for the battle of their lives.   
XXX

After checking her ship several times to make sure everything was in order for the attack, it was nothing more than a waiting game. Lyra sat in the X-Wing with the rest of the fleet, positioned behind Poe’s squadron. All of them were awaiting Leia’s signal that she would send out when Finn and Han had successfully planted the explosives and rescued Rey, if he was successful that was.

Lyra turned on her ship’s communications, testing them out as she sat there apprehensively. 

“Hey you, how you feeling?”

Poe’s voice sounded through one of her open channels and instantly put her at ease.

“Poe, how did you know what channel was mine?”

“I checked with Jess, just wanted to make sure I could reach you if things got rough out there. Listen, can you promise me one thing?”

Lyra leaned back in her seat. “What?”

“If things get too rough out there, if you feel like you can’t keep up, if you get too scared, just head back to D’Qar alright? The fleet is gonna use hyperspace travel back to the base so the First Order can’t track us. If you get scared, just go, ok?"

“I’ll be fine Poe. I can do this.”

“I know you can, but just, promise me.”

She smiled over at his X-Wing. “I promise.”

As Poe turned the radio off for the time being, he felt as if he still had things to get off his chest. He had confessed his feelings for her in Felucia, he had kissed her and those feelings hadn’t changed one bit even after her rejection of him. Yet he still felt there was more to be said. It could wait, it had to wait. He had to stay focused on this mission, otherwise his entire squadron’s lives, even his own life would be in danger. 

After another half an hour of waiting around in tense silence. Leia’s transmission came through.

“The explosives were planted successfully, T-Minus 10 minutes until detonation. Black squadron, you’re up, it’s time to lead the attack.”  
Lyra’s heart began to leap unnaturally fast as she watched Poe and the rest of the squadron take off and jump into lightspeed to Starkiller base. She could only hope that Finn and the others would escape in time to avoid the attack. There was one other person she prayed would evacuate the base on time or avoid it altogether. 

Armitage.

As the rest of the fleet geared up to leave for the attack, Lyra felt her stomach flip. She was nervous for the attack, for Poe’s safety and for her own. But there was something else there. She felt a twinge of guilt for what Armitage was about to be put through. Even if he wasn’t involved in the attack or survived it, Snoke would most likely blame him if the Resistance was successful and punish him severely as he had already done so many times before. 

Possibly against her better judgment, she punched in a number, and waited for someone to answer.

“This is Lieutenant Mitaka, of the Finalizer. Who am I speaking to?”

“Mitaka, it doesn’t matter who you’re speaking to. I have an urgent message for General Hux.”

There was a long pause. “Lady Hux? Hold on a moment, he’s in his chambers, I should, I should patch you through.”

“No Mitaka please, don’t do that. Just pass on a message from me. Tell him to stay on-board his ship. Tell him it’s important that he stays put on the Finalizer. Tell him, if he ever cared for me, he would listen to me on this. One last time.” 

Mitaka was quiet for a moment longer before he answered. “I’ll see to it he gets the message myself Lady Hux.”

“Thank you Mitaka.”

She cut off the transmission before he could reply. On-board the Finalizer, she had always thought Hux was the only person she could trust but perhaps after spending so much time on the ship, some of the other men onboard had come to like her too. 

The fleet began to take off, line by line. Until finally, it got to Lyra’s turn. She prayed her morning practise flights were enough to get her through this fight. If they weren’t, she prayed Poe would go on to be happy and safe without her. BB-8 would have been a welcome flight buddy. She was now able to understand most binary and the little droid’s help and comfort would be a great asset to her in the present.

Taking a deep breath in to prepare for the assault, she jumped to lightspeed. Her stomach turned as an indescribable feeling flooded through her body as the X-Wing tore through time and space itself to get to Starkiller base. It had felt like a lifetime ago she had experienced flying lightspeed. The first time it had happened, Hux had sat beside her, stroking her back as she spent a good half an hour draped over a toilet, emptying out the contents of her stomach. He had warned her of the queasy, ill feelings that would overtake her the first few times she experienced it and she was grateful she had grown used to it enough by now so as not to throw up in such a tiny ship.   
When she finally reached the base it had become clear the explosives had worked. Poe’s squadron had already taken out some of the bases defence canons, proving that the weapon’s defences were down. She grinned as she spotted Poe’s X-Wing in the distance as it took out another canon, expertly avoiding fire. Truly he was the galaxy’s greatest Pilot.

“Glad you could join us sweetheart” Poe’s voice sounded through the radio. He had obviously spotted her within the fleet too. 

“I see you’re already pulling out all the stops on this one flyboy.”

As more of the fleet began shooting at the base, she heard him laugh. “Gotta impress my girl with my flying skills now, haven’t I? Listen, do you need me to circle you, make sure you have backup?”

“No, now it’s my turn to impress you. Watch me fly circles around you Poe Dameron.”

Filled with a sudden burst of confidence now that the fleet was seemingly winning against the First Order, hitting blow after blow against the base, Lyra made to shoot some targets of her own. Following the fleets pattern, she helped shoot down the base’s weak points, watching it burn and fall before her very eyes. 

The First Order were bound to catch onto the attack eventually though, and after a few minutes of a strong advantage, they sent out what TIE fighters they had to help fight back against the Resistance. Lyra watched as the fleet began to take fire, suddenly reminded that this fight would cost lives on both ends. 

She looked on helplessly as X-Wings began crashing, wondering if she knew those who had been struck down. To her left, she recognised one of the X-Wings, it was Jess’ ship. As 2 TIE fighters followed her closely, she desperately tried to outrun them while still targeting one of the remaining base cannons. 

Lyra made for her ship, locking onto one of the TIE fighters. After a fair few misses, she managed to strike one of the First Order’s ships down, and watched it as it flew out of control, falling until it hit the base, wiping out the cannon. 

For a while, it seemed that the Resistance had the advantage once more and the base was taking heavy fire, seemingly on its last legs. But the First Order it would seem, had something up their sleeves the Resistance had not anticipated. Back-up cannons. They rose up from the base’s surface and began shooting at the remainder of the fleet. 

Poe had begun to focus his flying on defence rather than offence, and that’s when Lyra decided, she wouldn’t see any more of her friends fall, not if she could help it. Turning her ship so it faced the bases cannons, she made for the central back-up cannon.

“Lyra, what are you doing? You are too close to those cannons, fall back” Poe told her.

“I can do this Poe, I just need one shot and then the rest of the cannons are a piece of cake.”

“Lyra, don’t be a hero, you need to fall back.”

“Just cover me, alright?”

She went in, locking onto the cannon. As she closed in, taking the shot at the cannon, one of the hit X-Wings slammed into hers and sent her spiralling. Around her, the ships alarms sounded, alerting her to the damage. She had managed to hit the cannon and destroy it, but her own X-Wing was losing altitude, fast.

Her radio crackled, she heard Poe’s distant voice over the radio, screaming out her name before it cut out completely. Then there was just the fall. A steep fall, down further and further. She managed to maintain enough control to steer the ship to the nearest planet. But it wouldn’t be a happy landing. In fact, without Poe’s master piloting skills, it wouldn’t be a safe landing at all. 

As the ship hurled into darkness, spinning as it went, Lyra’s life flashes before her eyes. Running through the fields of Naboo as a teenager. Her first kiss with Armitage. The first time she had hacked into a system successfully. Her wedding day. Her arrival on the Finalizer, the first time her and Armitage had fought. Blissful mornings waking up to him. Her first real chat with BB-8. The first time she saw Poe. His laugh. His smile. His forceful hugs. The cave in Felucia. 

That wonderful kiss she had shared with Poe that burned into her memory hotter than anything, ever before it. And then…. Nothing. Nothing at all. 

XXX

When Lyra woke, the first thing she became aware of was pain. Searing pain in her leg. Above her was nothing but pale moonlight and fire from the attack on Starkiller. She coughed as the dust from the crashed ship filled her lungs.

Finally daring to glance down, she let out a chocked cry. A large slab of metal had cut into her leg and the weight of the ship’s debris pinned her in place. Lyra felt around for anything that could help her, anything that could pry her free or stop the blood loss. She turned her head to look behind her and noticed a flare in the remnants of the cockpit. Turning her body which ached and hurt with every move, she reached for the flare but it was out of her grasp. 

“Come on you piece of crap! I am not dying on an unknown planet, on my own, not knowing whether or not the Resistance was even successful” she shouted out loud to nobody but herself. 

As she reached up as far as she could she let out another strangled cry as the searing pain in her leg took hold. The flare was still just out of reach. 

She focused her mind, trying to forget the pain, trying to forget the attack and Starkiller, even the Resistance and Poe. All that mattered now, was surviving. 

She reached a hand up at the flare and focused on it with all her might. She closed her eyes, imagining it was there, secured in her grip and then, she felt it, right on the edge of her fingertips. She flicked it, turning it sideways until she could catch a proper grip of it and then pulled it close to her before firing it up in the air and setting it off. 

The blood loss was taking its toll on her now and as she watched the flame of the flare flash up into the sky, visions of red against the black sky seemed to merge as one. She had to try to stay awake, she had to try and get herself free. She lay there a while longer, focusing her strength. Perhaps if she will it enough, just like she had done with the flare, she could successfully dislodge the metal mercilessly digging into the soft flesh of her leg. 

When Lyra heard a distant voice, she thought death was finally at her door.

“Lyra, Lyra where are you? Lyra!”

The voice seemed to be growing louder and louder until she finally realised it wasn’t a hallucination. It was Poe. He was close by, calling for her.

“Poe, I’m over here” she called as loudly as she could, her voice weak. 

When she felt his hand touch her cheek softly she smiled. “You came for me?”

Poe stared down at her leg and then met her gentle gaze. “Of course I came for you sweetheart.”

She entwined her own fingers around his. “Pretty impressive huh? I told you I would fly circles around you. Technically they weren’t circles as much as rolls. And really they weren’t around you as opposed to down towards this planet, but I took out that cannon like I told you I would.”

Poe couldn’t hold back a grin. “Stars I really l….. you are literally my favourite person in this entire galaxy did I ever tell you that?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You like me even more than BB-8?”

“Easy sweetheart. I said person, not droid. Now, let’s get you out of here.”

Poe went to inspect the metal imbedded in Lyra’s leg. Thankfully the cut wasn’t too deep, not deep enough that she would have to have it amputated at least. 

She flinched as he touched her leg softly. “Kriff, ok. Thankfully it’s a clean cut but I’m really sorry Lyra but taking this out, it’s gonna hurt. You just have to stay strong with me, alright?”

“Why is it always me who gets injured, why can’t you take some of the pressure of me for once?”

Poe stroked her hand gently. “I know sweetheart, I’m sorry. Are you ready?”

She took a grip of his leg seeing as he needed both hands to take the metal shard out. When she had a firm grip on him, she gave him one quick nod and waited for the pain.

As Poe pulled the shard out in one quick move Lyra let out an ear-piercing scream and squeezed Poe’s leg as tight as she could. He shed his jacket and tied it around her leg to stop the blood.

“Oh look, another one of your jackets being used as a tourniquet for me. Do you think I should dedicate a space in my wardrobe for your jackets yet?”

Poe lifted her up into his arms and carried her to his ship. “Yeah, I think you take the whole ‘have the shirt off my back’ concept a little too literally.”

She winced as he put her in the Pilot’s seat in the X-Wing and climbed in to sit behind her. It was too tight a fit for her to not feel pressure against her wound as the two of them squeezed into such a small space, but it was the only ship they had.  
“Poe, I have to say, this really, really hurts” she whimpered.

“I know sweetheart. Lean back against me as much as you can so you can spread your legs out. Just hold on as much as you can Lyra. The medical team are ready to respond back on D’Qar. You’ll be back on your feet in no time. Just stay with me.”  
Lyra leaned back against Poe, his heartbeat was fast against her. It was strangely comforting to her, to know he had safely left the fight and was alive. He had survived the battle and was by her side. Tucking her head back against his shoulder, she smiled as she felt his lips kiss the top of her head softly as he took off for D’Qar.

Everything grew dizzy before her, once more her vision began to blur and she couldn’t make out Poe’s words to her as noises around her faded in and out. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed as she fell unconscious, was the clear night sky, a clear run back to base. Back home.


	16. A Moment For The Fallen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. The next chapter deals with the aftermath of Han’s death a little, seeing as I don’t think the Last Jedi touched on it at all which is kind of a shame. It was also really important for me to touch on Leia’s personality and Lyra and Poe’s relationship with her at points in the story because, my own mum suffers from a lot of mental illnesses and copes with it very badly to the point where it’s always put a huge strain on our relationship and always left us a little distant with one another. So when Carrie Fisher inspired me with all of her openness about mental health and despite it all, was very close with her daughter Billie, it was kind of therapeutic and mildly self-indulgent for me to write her as being a mother figure to Lyra, seeing as she was always a bit of a motherly figure to me. I hope you guys enjoy, this chapter meant a lot to me.

When Lyra eventually woke up in the medical bay on D’Qar she felt a weight on the side of her bed. Looking down, she saw Poe’s head resting by her side, his hand clutching her own as he slept. 

Running her hand through his hair, he jolted awake with a loud snort, causing Lyra to giggle as he looked up at her dozily. 

“Hey flyboy.”

His hand went to her own hair, stroking it softly. “Hey hero, how are you feeling?”

The young woman sighed as she tried to sit up straighter, watching as Poe’s arms went into a protective stance, ready to help her if she needed it.

“Sore, but alive, thanks to you. Where’s BB-8?”

Just like the feeling he had when she announced she was learning binary to speak to his droid, a similar warm feeling spread through him as he noticed her worry over BB-8’s survival of the attack.

“He’s good. He’s getting cleaned up, he took a few hits in the fight but nothing he can’t handle.”

Lyra frowned. “I hope he’s alright.”

He smiled to himself. She was the one who had almost lost a leg and yet she was worrying about a droid who had suffered a few scratches.

“Poe, how is Rey? Did they save her? Did everyone get out ok?”

Poe stroked her hand in his own as he felt her grip tighten. “Rey, Finn and Chewie are fine. They are back on the base, but Han Solo. He didn’t make it. Ren struck him down with his own lightsaber.”

Lyra shook her head in disbelief. “Ren always was a monster, but I never thought he was so far-gone he could kill his own father. Oh my, Leia, is she alright?”

Poe shrugged. “She’s hurting, I can tell. She’s lost her husband and she’s lost her son to the dark side all in one day. I think before now she believed Ren could come to the light again but now. Now it’s crystal clear where his allegiance lies. She’s strong though, you know her. She’s putting on a brave face, she asked me to keep her up to date with your own health. She’s like you, always thinking of others.”

The young woman laced her fingers through his. “She’s like you. You’re the one always putting others before yourself. You came back for me when you didn’t have to, in-fact you have saved me more times than I can count.”

“Come on, we have saved each other a fair few times. I think it’s even now.”

For a minute or so they lost themselves in each other’s stares and soft touches. After being so close to death again on such a serious mission, being close to one another was a great comfort to them both.

“Wait, Poe, Starkiller, did we destroy it?”

Poe smiled at her. “Yeah Lyra, we succeeded. Thanks to those shields being brought down I was able to target the weak spot and then we fought well against their defences, a large part of that was down to you destroying that backup cannon. We would have lost a lot more of our fighters if it wasn’t for you taking that shot Lyra. As much as I hate to admit it, seeing as it put you in a lot of danger.” 

Lyra grinned as she sat up to wrap her arms around Poe. “We did it Poe, we destroyed the First Order’s weapon. You know what that means don’t you?”

“What’s that?”

“I owe us drinks.”

Poe laughed gently as she pulled away from the hug. “Yeah I know, I can’t wait. The Resistance are holding a vigil for Han and the rest of the fallen pilots tomorrow night. I think after that, everyone will celebrate the victory against the First Order with drinks.”

Lyra looked down at her leg, unsure of whether she should push the covers off to take a look in-case the wound was worse than she imagined. “Do you think I’ll be able to walk by then?”

Poe’s hand trailed down to rest on her good leg. “The cut wasn’t too deep, it luckily didn’t hit any major nerves or arteries. Not to mention we had the best medical droids working on you. You might need a little help getting around though, I could get you some crutches.”

“That’s fine, I’ll just lean on you” Lyra sighed.

Poe rolled his eyes. “Yep, sounds about right.”

XXX

Hux sat nervously at his desk in his office on the Finalizer. Mitaka had relayed the message to him to stay clear of Starkiller base. Lyra had given him the message. Lyra had wanted him out of harm’s way. She still cared for him. She must of, to do such a thing, to risk her safety within the Resistance to defend a member of the First Order.

He stared down at his files, she might have cared for him still. He held onto the belief that they could still salvage their relationship once he tracked her down. However, that’s as far as his luck went. Snoke had already expressed his disappointment in Hux. Not that it was physically possible to anticipate such an attack on the order’s main weapon, but Snoke didn’t care. He blamed Hux for such a loss to the Order regardless. Just as the General believed he could try to sleep for an hour or so, a message came through on the intercom. 

“General Hux, Supreme Leader Snoke demands your presence on his ship right away.”

“Blast it all” Hux thought to himself. This was it. Perhaps his usefulness had run its course to the Supreme Leader. Perhaps this was the end. Snoke would end Hux and give all the power to that ever-growing thorn in the General’s side, Ren. His years of work, his years of dedication and service to a cause he believed could end wars had left him with nothing. No wife, no shows of his success and now possibly, no life. 

On-board the Supremacy

Hux admired the Supremacy as he walked nervously to Snoke’s throne room. If he wasn’t so afraid of what Snoke might do to him, he would have taken more time to admire the grandiose of the ship. The ship that he had hoped would one day be his, if he was given half a chance to prove himself.

Lyra could not resist him if he was one day made Supreme Leader, surely? He could single-handily by the one responsible for peace in the galaxy. That is all she had ever wanted, all either of them had ever wanted. If he could restore peace in the galaxy, Lyra could believe in him once more, just like she had for so long in their marriage. 

He took a deep breath as he entered Snoke’s throne room. The Praetorian guards stood guard as the humiliated General approached the Supreme Leader. 

Snoke watched him kneel with a deep frown, he could sense Hux’s fear, often he seemed to feed upon it. Seeing people quiver before him filled him with the power he had always so desired, Hux, as useful as he was to him, was no exception to this. 

“General Hux, you disappoint me. Your forces didn’t reach the Starkiller base in time and now, it is all but ash. Our greatest weapon, taken down by a pathetic number of rebel ships. It would seem you are proving less than useful since your wife left you for the enemy.”

Armitage dared to meet his gaze. “My deepest apologies Supreme Leader. I could not have foreseen that attack, and the rebels managed to sneak explosives in beforehand, weakening the base’s defences. It was that damn rogue Stormtrooper, he knew the bases’ weaknesses, he knew where to strike.”

With a simple wave of his hand, Snoke lifted the General into the air before hurling him down to the ground hard, causing Hux to hit the side of his face on the metal with a cry of pain. 

“You would pin the blame only on the Stormtrooper? You truly believe your wife, who ran from you and the Order without a moment’s hesitance, is innocent in all of this?”

The General nodded, resisting the urge to touch his injured cheek. “My wife had nothing to do with the attack. She didn’t know the bases’ weaknesses, she had never even visited Starkiller. Besides, she doesn’t even know how to fly a ship. She can’t have been involved in the attack, Supreme Leader.”

Snoke smirked at him. “Sentiment. What a useless thing it is. I cannot wait until you see your wife for the traitor that she is and her betrayal finally turns you into the ruthless, unfeeling military leader I know you are capable of being.”

Hux stared at the ground as his nose crinkled in anger before returning Snoke’s stare.

“Supreme Leader, I will not disappoint you again. I will find the rebels and I will destroy them once and for all.”

“See to it that you do. Now, leave. If you disappoint me again General, your punishment will make you wish I had just killed you outright.”

Hux bowed before the leader before making her way back to his own ship. Hux would make his wife proud of him and his power yet. Even if it was the last thing he did.

XXX

Despite the victory against the First Order the mood over the last day had been a sombre one. The Resistance had lost of a lot of good pilots and Han Solo had been a living legend. A symbol of hope to many of the rebels. He had been living proof that you didn’t need to be 100% lawful or good in order to help against tyranny. 

Leia had so far done very well in keeping group morale up but given that she was such an important figure in the Resistance, the rebels hearts felt for her and the loss of her husband. With Han dead, her son as good as and her brother still missing, it was now the rebel’s time to be there for her. 

On the day of the vigil, Lyra had awoken with an idea. The other missing part of the map to Luke Skywalker, she had an idea as to where it was. And if she was right, it had been right under the Resistance’s noses the whole time. 

She quickly called for a meeting with Leia, Poe, Finn, Rey and a handful of the other surviving rebels. 

“Sorry to pull everyone into this suddenly but Maz Kanata told us there was another missing piece to the map leading to Luke. I think I know where it is.”

They urged her to carry on. 

“R2-D2. I think he holds the missing piece.”

Leia frowned. “Lyra, R2 has been out of service since Luke left. We can’t get him to wake up for us.”

Lyra smirked. “That’s before you had a droid alarm clock working for you. I think I know how to bypass the systems, and once he’s awake General, I believe you might be the only person in the galaxy other than Luke who can persuade him to help us.”

BB-8 rolled towards her and she knelt down to his level as she placed her hands on either side of his head. “Are you ready to help us piece together this map B?”

The droid nodded as Lyra went to Artoo’s side and began fiddling around with his security panels. The others stood with baited breath, hoping that once more, Lyra’s hacking abilities would come in handy. Without Luke, the Resistance might not have the strength to carry on against the First Order. Artoo’s systems were old though, older than anything Lyra had ever tried to decode before and after 15 minutes, she began to lose faith in her abilities to help, until finally….

The old droid’s head turned as it surveyed the people around them.

Lyra stepped back to join the others as Leia approached the droid. “Artoo, it’s me, it’s Leia. We need your help Artoo, we need your help to find Luke, do you have part of the map leading to him. We need to find him in order to help stop the First Order and their imperial forces, just like before. Can you help us?”

The R2 unit looked around as Lyra bent down to meet BB-8 again. “Ok B, it’s your turn to shine, let us see the map.”

The BB unit’s drive opened as a large hologram map of galaxy filled the room. As the rebels scanned it for any sign of Luke’s whereabouts, R2-D2 came forward and after a long pause, revealed the missing part of the map. Finally after years of wondering, the answer to Luke’s whereabouts was answered. He was located on a small oceanic planet called Ahch-To, located in the unknown region of the galaxy. 

Lyra turned to Poe and gripped his arm, grinning up at him. “We did it Poe, we actually did it. We found the map and kept it from the First Order.”

“I’m going to find him” Rey stated as the others turned to look at her. “Back on Takodana, his lightsaber called to me. There’s something inside of me that is calling to me in this war. I think finding Luke will help me realise where I belong in this galaxy. I offer to go. If I may General?”

The General nodded. “If there’s one thing I’ve learnt since leading this rebellion, the women involved are forces to be reckoned with, and when they decide on something I doubt there is a force powerful enough to stop it. Go to him Rey, bring my brother back.” 

Rey agreed to leave the next morning, after saying goodbye to Han at his vigil. Lyra could see that Han had meant a great deal to Rey. After her parents were nowhere to be found, Han had been a father figure to her, and losing him so soon after meeting him, had been a bitter reminder of how fragile life and connections with others were to her. 

Lyra felt it too, not the connection to Han himself but the idea that everyone’s lives involved in this war hung so carefully in the balance. She could understand the connection Rey felt towards the famed smuggler, after all, she had felt the same trust and vulnerability towards Leia. The General had come to mean a great deal to Lyra and she understood all too well, Poe’s own loyalty to her. 

As they prepared for the vigil, Lyra found Rey, sitting on her own, twiddling one of the mourning flowers between her fingers.

“Hi.”

Rey looked up. “Hello Lyra.”

“I’m not going to ask you how you are because I feel like that’s an annoying question to hear when you’re upset. I just wanted to say if you need to talk, I’m here.”

Rey nodded. “Thank you. I owe you and Poe a great deal. Leia told me it was the both of you who offered to get the explosives to bring down Starkiller. Without that base being brought down I think the chances of me escaping without getting caught would have been pretty slim.”

Lyra waved her off. “It’s the least we could do really. I’m sorry I didn’t get to you on time at Takodana.”

Rey looked at her, a small smile playing about her face. “That’s ok. I went wondering. The vision I saw in Maz’s palace when I held Luke’s lightsaber. It frightened me a little. I ran away to clear my head. I didn’t think I could handle this war but then I just felt like running away…”

“Would get you nowhere?”

Rey nodded. “Exactly.”

Lyra crossed her arms as she sat beside her. “Yes, I understand how that feels. I should have left the First Order the moment I was faced with the decision to step onboard the finalizer. But I loved my husband and felt like I could run away from what he was becoming. I could ignore it, but eventually it was like finding my way around in the dark, and when I met Poe, it was like someone had turned a light on in the next room. I could see an alternative. That’s when I decided I would stop running. Since then, every day my life has become a little clearer.”

Rey followed her gaze out to Poe, who was busy talking with Leia. 

“So Poe is your light? That makes perfect sense. When are you going to tell him?”

Lyra’s eyes fell from Poe as she turned back to Rey. “Tell him he’s my light?”

“No. Tell him that you love him?”

Lyra turned red as she scoffed. “I never said that.”

“You don’t have to. It’s painfully obvious.”

“Hypothetically speaking, if I did have feelings for Poe. How many people know about this, do you think?”

Rey pretended to count on her fingers. “Let’s see, Leia, Jess, me… everyone. Literally everyone on this entire base knows. Everyone, except you apparently.”

Lyra tried to shrug it off, looking out at BB-8 as he rolled around trying to help everyone prepare for the vigil. 

“We weren’t talking about me. We were talking about you. I think it’s good you’re going to see Luke. I think he will lead you to answers. What did you see, in Maz’s castle?”

“A temple, a Jedi temple that had been destroyed. Luke was watching on in horror, I saw my parents ship leave in Jakku. I saw myself wielding the force and fighting against Snoke and the First Order.”

Lyra’s eyes widened. “You fought Snoke? I really do think Luke will lead you to answers. I hope you find them. You have a power inside of you Rey, I think Luke may be the key to unlocking that power. In any case, I know you are strong beyond measure but even still. I’m sorry about Han.”

Rey smiled at her. “Thank you Lyra. Go chase your light, he looks dimmer without you by his side.”

As Rey and Lyra spoke, Poe and Leia were having a conversation of their own. The General noticed Lyra looking over at Poe and smirked to herself. While she was grieving, it was somewhat of a comfort to watch Lyra and Poe’s relationship unfold before her eyes. Young love had been something that had blossomed in her own mother’s short life. It had given her and Anakin peace and happiness during her time in the galaxy. Leia herself counted herself lucky she was able to enjoy years of marriage to Han before his untimely passing. She only wished their own son had not been the one to cause his death. 

“You know, as amusing as it is to watch, I think it’s fairly clear what’s between you and Lyra so when exactly are you planning on telling her how you feel?”

Poe shook his head as he helped arrange some of the flowers for the vigil. “Already tried that, didn’t work out so well. I kissed her on Felucia and she kissed back for a while before pulling away like I was covered in lava or something.”

Leia frowned as she smacked the side of his head. “You idiot.”

Poe rubbed the spot where the General had hit him. “Oww, what did I do? What’s the matter?”

“The girl finds out her husband ordered her own death a week ago and you think it’s a great move to go planting one on her out of the blue?”

Poe shrugged. “It felt right at the time. Anyway, isn’t that something Han would have done with you?”

Leia sighed heavily as gave Poe a disappointed look that made him feel guiltier than when he broke protocol on one of the Black Squadron’s past missions. “Han wasn’t exactly the most gracious person when it came to feelings though was he? Poe, the girl is fragile right now. She’s feeling the loss of her relationship with Hux, she’s feeling guilt from leaving him. She’s feeling guilt for having feelings for you and then on top of that, she’s probably feeling upset over the fact that she’s not with you, not to mention feeling bad that you might be upset with her too. A kiss doesn’t just solve all of those feelings.”

Poe raised an eyebrow. “Did she tell you all those things.”

“She doesn’t have to, it’s obvious to anyone who doesn’t have his head in the clouds, or in his cockpit. Can you try, not being such a….. man?”

Poe gave an exasperated sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up. “So, what should I do now? I really, really like her General. I don’t want to mess this up.”

“That makes a change. Listen, I think now you just need to wait for her to come to her own decision alright? She’ll come around, I’m sure she will. But the next time you want to convey feelings, use words, not tongue.”

“What if she uses her tongue?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “Then you go with it. Stars, Dameron. You might be the best pilot in the galaxy but when it comes to common sense, you are seriously lacking. Now go get ready for this vigil. By the way, Flowers? Really? You seriously think Han would have wanted flowers?”

Leia left him to ponder her words as he looked down at the flower arrangement in his hands. She was right, Han Solo would not have cared about flowers.

XXX

The vigil was held that evening. As the sun set, members of the Resistance held out candles as they gathered around a small lit pyre, in honour of the fallen. Leia stood by, watching the flames of the pyre rise as members of the Resistance stayed near the ones closest to them, revelling in the comfort of still being lucky enough to have each other’s company. BB-8 stood near Poe and Lyra as members of the black squadron, Finn and Rey stood close in-front. 

It was a bittersweet moment, to see so many survivors from the attack on Starkiller gathered to mourn the loss of the brave few that had not been so lucky. BB-8 pivoted his head up to look around at the rebels, emitting quiet, sombre beeps as he did so. Lyra counted herself lucky, Poe was still alive, as were the rest of her friends and of course, her favourite little droid. She could only hope Mitaka had stayed loyal to his word and told Hux to stay put on the Finalizer. A thought struck her, and she wondered if she might spend the rest of her life occasionally wondering about Armitage’s safety and future. She could not imagine life in the First Order was a long one, especially not someone as high in the ranks as her husband who would always be such a huge target. 

She felt Poe’s hand brush her hair back and smiled over at him. “You ok?” He asked.

“I’m fine. It’s just sad. In the First Order death was considered a normal part of war. Nobody stopped to acknowledge it. It’s nice, in a strange sort of way.”

Poe’s eyes looked even more beautiful as the flames of the fire danced around them, surrounding him in a unique light. The fact that Lyra had been surrounded by such coldness and lack of feeling her whole life made him realise just how much he admired her difference. She remained unaltered by years in the First Order. She was still the breath of life he had come to cherish. The same brave, sarcastic, kind, beautiful girl that had saved him from the First Order’s clutches and for once in his life, he believed he had one thing in common with Armitage Hux. He too, had found it utterly impossible not to want Lyra for his own. 

“We always give our dead a proper send-off, if there’s time of course. This time it feels harder though, like when I lost my buddy L’ulo.”

Lyra’s free hand slid down his arm and fell to his own, holding it gently as they watched the fire burn away, hoping that the spirits of the dead could somehow sense their love and prayers from wherever their spirits were.

Leia stepped forward to address the crowd. Poe had been right, she was strong, but the tiredness and grief were slipping through the cracks of her bright personality.

“Friends, today shouldn’t be a sad day. We destroyed Starkiller Base, we delivered a strong blow to the First Order. Today we showed those who would tear away our rights, our friends, our freedom, that we will not stand for such tyranny. We will fight. We will fight until they no longer underestimate us. Today is not the end. Today is just the beginning. So if you need to mourn, if you need to cry, do so. The ones we love do not leave us behind without sadness or tears or anger. But I want you all to know that yesterday, you did right by them. Their sacrifices were not in vain. Han’s sacrifice was not in vain. Their deaths have lit a flame inside of us that will keep us strong and focused. Enough to bring down the First Order. Enough to bring down those who would do the galaxy harm. We will fight them until the bitter end, and we will win.”

The previously miserable crowd burst into thunderous cheers and shouts as they applauded Leia’s powerful speech. Lyra smiled over at the General as she looked out at the rebels, proud of their strength and determination. One by one, the rebels placed their lit candles down by the fire as a sign of respect to those who had passed. As Lyra set hers down, she said a prayer for Han before stepping aside to talk to Leia.

“I know you have probably heard it too many times today but, I am so sorry for your loss. Really if there’s anything I can do General, I will do it. You need only ask.”

Leia smiled as she took Lyra’s hand. “Thank you. It means a lot, especially coming from someone who works as hard for the Resistance as you do. I’m glad you joined us Lyra.”

Lyra squeezed the General’s hand affectionately. “Thank you for taking me in. You didn’t need to but you saw something in me that I don’t even think I saw in myself. I will be eternally grateful to you General. When I was younger I thought just hearing the stories about you was inspiring enough. I never believed I would ever have the honour of serving under you. This all still feels so surreal.”

“You know when you say things like that it makes me realise how old I really am.”

Lyra’s eyes widened as she feared she had offended Leia. “You aren’t old! You said yourself you were young when you got involved in the first rebellion. You have achieved so much in your….. oh, you were joking weren’t you?”

Leia gave her a knowing smile. The kind of smile Lyra had become accustomed to receiving from the General now. 

The General looked down and spotted a familiar ring. She knew the story behind Poe’s ring, the significance it held and how much it meant to him. Now it hung around Lyra’s neck. “Wow” she thought, “that boy really does have it bad for her”.

“Poe told me about what happened on Felucia.”

Lyra’s heart sank. “He did? Why, why did he tell you? Is he alright? Is he upset with me?”

Leia shook her head. “He’s more worried he upset you. Lyra listen, I know the boy can be a cocky, hot-headed dimwit sometimes, but I just don’t think he knew how to tell you how strongly he feels for you. He was thinking with his, well, you know. But I want you to know that I really believe that boy cares for you more than he’s cared for anyone in a long, long time. Except maybe BB-8.”

Lyra grinned. “I believe it. I care for him too, really I do.”

“I know it’s hard for you. You never got closure with your husband and you can’t just stop loving someone just like that. I do understand, but if losing Han has taught me anything, it’s that you have to seize whatever makes you happy. That’s how he lived, that’s how I learned to live and now, I suggest it’s a good idea for you too. Just, think about it. Will you do that for me?”

“Of course, General” she nodded. “And General, Han would be so proud of us all right now, especially you. You are the leader I’m sure he always believed you would be.”

“I hope so. The guy never gave me too much credit, or at least he wouldn’t let on that he did. He was a hardass, but he was my hardass. Now go celebrate, it’s time to enjoy ourselves now. Besides, I’m sure Poe is dying to use celebrating as the perfect excuse to hug you the whole night.”


	17. Drinks, Dancing & A Rush Of Feeling

When Lyra caught up with Poe and the others, they had already made their way to the bar in the Cantina. The bases’ mood had already begun to lift after the drinks began pouring out. BB-8 was busy patrolling the bar, making sure to watch out for anyone who might have drunk too much too soon.

As Poe scanned the room, waiting for Lyra, he noticed her bent down to talk to the little droid, a smile lighting up her face as BB-8 beeped happily at the sight of her. She kissed the BB unit on the top of head gently before making her way over to him, a slight limp in her walk after the attack on Starkiller.

“I’ll never get tired of that”

“Tired of what?” She asked.

He debated telling her the whole truth. That he never grew tired of watching her walk into the room, but he settled on the other sight that brought him joy. “Watching you talk to BB-8.”

She smiled up at him. “He is a huge part of your life and I want to embrace that. I also may have fallen in love with him a little bit myself too.”

Poe sighed and rolled his eyes as BB-8 scurried around the room. “Always stealing attention away from me. Guess I’ll just have to accept the fact that something in this galaxy might possibly be more charming than me. Can I get you a drink?”

“I thought I was the one who owed you a drink?”

The Pilot shrugged as she stood by him at the bar. “Yeah I know, but that was before you got shot down trying to save us all so I think I owe you more than just a drink. You can get the next one if you really want.”

“Thank you Poe. Do you think they serve wine here?”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, can’t guarantee how good it will be though. Nothing too fancy on base I don’t think, at least nothing they serve us is too fancy.”

“That’s fine, after that last mission, I’m open to anything with a percentage.”

He laughed and ordered her a glass of Corellian white wine. She felt slightly embarrassed when she noticed everyone else was drinking beer or ale. However, when she tried some of Poe’s ale in an attempt to fit in with the others, he let out a loud laugh at her face of disgust as she attempted to gulp it down.

“Goodness, how do you stomach that stuff it’s like ship fuel?”

“Guess I’m used to drinking it, being around fuel most days anyway. It’s an acquired taste, I’ll give you that. Not everyone can be a princess, drinking fancy wine all night.”

She hit his arm playfully. ”I am no princess, I just like things that taste good is all.”

“You’re right, you aren’t a princess. You could be though, but only in the best ways. You’re beautiful enough to be one.”

They hadn’t even finished their first drink yet and already Poe was flirting. Then again, they were at ease on base, and when Poe was at ease, that’s when his charm became most apparent. 

“You should stay in Naboo longer the next time we visit. There are a thousand girls just like me.”

Poe took another sip of beer, peering at her over his glass.

“Not to me. You are one of a kind, at least to me you are.”

The corner of his lips turned upwards in a smirk as he saw her turn red. The rush of colour in her neck made him think of what she would look like spread beneath him, the same flush covering her whole body after she was spent under his, rigorous efforts.

“I’m sure you enjoy saying these things just to see me blush.”

“No, I mean it. I can’t remember the last time I felt so at ease with someone.”

She nodded, taking a long sip of her wine. “Me too.”

Before the two could flirt any more, Poe’s squadron surrounded them, clinking their glasses together in celebration.

“Hey Lyra how’s the leg?” Jess asked as she noticed Lyra leaning against the bar slightly.

“Still a little sore, but thanks to Poe getting to me so quickly the damage wasn’t too bad.”

Nien snickered, looking at the floor. “Oh yeah, like he ever passes up the chance to be close at your side anyway.”

Poe bumped his shoulder and gave him a look that silently begged him to stop.  
“So Lyra, you did pretty good out there for a rookie” Snap said quietly.

It meant a lot to Lyra that Snap would praise her, given that when they first met he was more than just cautious around her. The man had given the impression he didn’t like her being there with the Resistance at all.

“Thank you Snap. I’m glad I could keep up with the fleet at least.”

Jess rolled her eyes. “You’re too modest, she was good enough to be considered for the Black Squadron, right Poe?”

Poe finished off his beer and ordered them another round. “Easy guys, we don’t want her thinking she gets the star treatment in the squadron just because she’s completed a few mission alongside its leader.”

Ello said something in his native language that caused Poe to lower his head in embarrassment.  
Lyra looked to Jess to translate.

“He said Poe would make a hardass boyfriend if you finally agreed to go out with him.”

A hardass, just as Leia had described Han. Lyra could deal with a hardass. She had of course, dealt with arguably the biggest hardass in the galaxy after being married to Hux for so long.  
The young woman met Poe’s stare as they smiled at one another, trying to brush off the squadron’s acknowledgement of their closeness and chemistry.

The squadron and Lyra stayed there a while, drinking and laughing and telling stories of their missions together.

“I think Poe makes a good leader though and he’s pretty good handling himself against trouble. He was in prison after all” Jess remarked.

Lyra’s head snapped to Poe, her eyes begging to know the story behind that statement.  
“Easy, we were sent to a planet that was home to a high security prison as part of a mission for Leia. Megalox, not a pretty place. Full of hutts and criminals practically met us at the door to steal our weapons. We completed the mission though, after a few twists and unexpected, obstacles.”

Lyra could scarcely believe all the missions Poe had undertook and succeeded on. He too, seemed to have been thrown into the deep end when it came to competing orders for the Resistance.

They told her of Agent Terex, a First Order agent who had caused them no end of trouble when trying to find leads on the location of the map to Luke Skywalker. They told her stories about working with C-3PO and evading First Order TIE fighters in narrow caverns only the most seasoned pilots could navigate safely. Lyra’s own life seemed like a picnic in comparison. But she was determined to catch up with their efforts, she was determined to build up a log of missions as long as Poe Dameron’s.

After an hour of exchanging stories and reliving old memories, Snap looked between Poe and Lyra before nudging Jess.

“Ok well, listen, we are gonna give you guys some space to, talk. We’ll see you around, come on guys.”

The squadron caught the hint and left Poe and Lyra to talk alone.

Lyra, on her third glass of wine began to felt a little tipsy, given that it had been a few weeks since she even touched a glass of wine, let alone drink it.

“So umm, did you and Leia talk about much before, at the vigil?”

Lyra tapped her glass gently. “Are you worried we were talking about you?”

Poe bit his lip, and for one second Lyra wanted nothing more than to be the one biting his lip. He caught her staring at his mouth and winked at her. “Maybe I was?”

“Don’t worry, we have nothing but nice things to say about you, well Leia called you a hot-headed dimwit but other than that, all good things. I think she might have you in line when it comes to leading the Resistance after she retires.”

Poe shook his head. “That woman will never retire. But I’m glad it was a good talk, thought maybe you might be getting bored of me maybe?”

Lyra frowned. “That’s not possible. I don’t think I ever could get bored of you. My personal feelings aside, you are literally the most interesting person I’ve ever met in the galaxy. It’s not possible for me to get bored of you and your stories.” 

Poe’s stomach wavered at the mention of her personal feelings. 

“She told me you talked to her about what happened on Felucia.”

He nodded. “She did, did she?”

Lyra took a deep breath. “She thought you might be worried you had upset me or offended me by kissing me.”

He stared at her. 

“You didn’t upset me or offend me. I enjoyed the kiss, more than you could ever know. My head is just, confused at the moment. I was worried I had upset you, by pushing away from you. I don’t want to push you away Poe, it’s the last thing I want to do.”

Poe stopped her, placing a hand on hers. “You don’t need to explain yourself, I understand. Leia gave me some advice, given in her own unique way of course.”

Lyra laughed. “Me too.” 

“Do, do you want to get out of here? Go somewhere quieter? No funny business I promise, it’s just, I want to show you something.”

She nodded her head. “Yes, I’d love to go somewhere quieter with you.”

Poe’s smile eased every trouble she might have had. 

“Ok, just, give me a minute. I gotta ask the barman for something.”

As he stepped away to the other side of the bar Lyra watched the crowds of rebels around her, talking and laughing together. One big extended family she was now a part of. It felt good to be a part of something bigger than just herself. Before Poe, it had just been her and Armitage, and given how much time Armitage spent away from her the last year, she had grown used to it just being her on her own. Now she felt part of a family, and at the heart of it was Poe. 

Before she could question it, Poe took her hand and led her away from the crowds into a part of the base she hadn’t seen before. It was a small hall filled with what looked like memorabilia of past missions and files containing information on the First Order. He led her through the hall until he abruptly stopped, causing her to nearly bump into him.

“What is this? Are all these things from completed missions?”

He shrugged. “Mostly, but look at this” he smirked, pointing to a poster on the wall.

It was a Resistance poster, propaganda of some sort to encourage more to join the fighter pilots of the Resistance and there, right in the centre, looking proud as ever was a familiar face.

Lyra’s face beamed as she stared at the poster before looking back at Poe. “That’s you! You’re on a poster!”  
“Yeah, Leia had me pose for it not long after the Black Squadron was formed. Cool right?”

She folded her arms over her chest. “Well now I understand why your ego is so big. Poster boy.”

Poe rolled his eyes.

“I’m kidding. It is pretty cool, you are the official poster child for the Resistance. That’s impressive. It looks like one of those posters teenagers have in their bedrooms to look at every night and hope one day they can be just like you.”

Poe raised his eyebrows. “Oh yeah? You want a copy for your bedroom so you can look at me every night?”

She hit his arm. “Oh please, haven’t we established you don’t need any more help in feeding your ego. Besides, I get to stare at the real thing every day. I don’t need a poster.”

Poe smiled at her as he pulled out a bottle of wine from under his jacket. 

“So the bartender owed me one for saving his ass one time and I asked him for a bottle of his best wine, part of his private stash. Wanna get drunk and talk nonsense looking at the stars for the rest of the night?”

She took the bottle off of him, inspecting the label before nodding enthusiastically. “Stars yes I want to do that.” 

He put his back to her and bent down. “Come on limpy, I’ll give you a piggyback ride outside, I’m not waiting for the sun to rise while you hobble along next to me.”

She jumped onto his back and lowered her head to his. “You know if I wasn’t so excited about this wine I would insult you for being so callous. Come on then, let’s see if you make a better mount than a fathier.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting them on his chest as she held the wine bottle and he made his way outside to the tallest hill by the base and lowered her carefully on the ground. As he sat down next to her she uncorked the wine bottle, making Poe jump slightly at the sudden burst of noise.

“Nice hand” he commented.

“I’m used to opening wine bottles, you could say I’m sort of a professional at it now.”

“I don’t have any glasses I’m sorry.”

Lyra, still tipsy from the wine before let out a loud giggle. “Drinking from the bottle? I haven’t done that since I was 17 and rebelling against my maid, sneaking out by the lakes in Naboo with friends to drink after hours.”

“And here you are, years later, a fully-fledged rebel. It all comes full circle” he smiled, offering her the first sip.

“It certainly does” she replied, taking a large sip of the wine. “Oh, that’s very good. That bartender must owe you big to hand over such a nice wine.”

Poe took a gulp of the wine before lying back against the grass, resting his arms behind his head. “Yeah he does, besides, I offered him sexual favours for it too so it’s all good.” 

Lyra snorted laughter as she leaned back to join him, laying by his side. 

“You know sometimes I just can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”

Above them, stars glistened in the night sky. The distant sounds of the rebels back at the bar laughing and talking filled the air but it felt peaceful. Like for once, the war, the Resistance, the First Order didn’t exist. It was just friends and families gathered around as one. Just like it had been when Luke Skywalker had defeated Darth Sidious and saved the empire. Just like Lyra’s life had been before Armitage had gotten so involved with the First Order. The calm before the storm. 

“You know I’m kidding. I wouldn’t do that to you, I know how jealous you get about sharing me with others.”

Lyra mocked him, repeating what he said in a silly voice, causing them both to burst out into laughter. 

“Oh very mature sweetheart, very mature indeed” he retorted as she took another sip of wine.

She sat up on her elbows. “Mature, you want to see mature? How’s this for mature?” She reached over and began tickling him. His laughter spread through the quiet, making her break out into laughter of her own. It was wonderful, just that, being with him, making each other laugh. Making each other happy. She could have spent the rest of her life as they were. In each other’s company. He began to fight back, tickling her back until she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Stop, stop I yield. Come on, I’m injured. You have to do what the injured girl tells you.”

She held his hands in hers to get him to stop, and he did so. Just like that. It was only then, as she ran her fingers over his hands she felt a light bump on one of them. Looking down she noticed a small scar. 

“Poe, is this a scar?”

He looked down. “Oh that? Yeah. Not too old actually.”

She looked at the scar, her brow furrowed as she traced over it softly. “How did it happen?”

“I got stabbed, knife was thrown at me and it went straight through my hand. No big deal though, I got it fixed up pretty quickly.”

“Have you always been so blasé about sustaining serious injuries?”  
“You can talk? You spent a week out of action after getting shot and you were climbing the walls.”

“That’s fair. Perhaps I’m just learning that from you.”

Poe wrinkled his nose. “Nah I think that’s just you. We just have a lot in common. The perfect match.”

They were really. When Lyra was younger, she believed her and Armitage had a lot in common. They both came from broken homes, neither of them were close to their mothers. They were both passionate, for different reasons granted. They both knew what it was like to grow up with money. But her time with the Resistance had showed she had more in common with Poe than she ever could have thought. They were both passionate about the same causes, they were reckless and often acted before thinking. They both liked to laugh and believed the best in people. They liked to prove themselves to others and extended their kindness to all around them. Even BB units.

Lyra took another sip of wine as Poe studied the stars above them. When he was a little boy, his mother Shara would lie with him looking at the stars as well. Telling him of the stories behind the constellations and pointing at the planets her and her husband had visited during their time in the rebellion. It felt special to him, that he could share a similar experience with Lyra.

They lay there together for what felt like hours, talking and drinking. Poe pointing out different constellations to Lyra and telling her the tales behind their names.   
After a while, Lyra suddenly sat up on her elbows once more.

“Poe! The dresses you got me from Naboo, I haven’t even looked at the ones you managed to get a hold of.”

He giggled. “You want them now?”

“I want to show them off for you, so you can see what all the fuss is about.”

He nodded, standing up. “Alright, I’ll get them. You stay here, if you go I’ll be waiting all night.”

She stuck her tongue out at him and watched as he made his way down the hill back to her room to get the chest he had stolen for her in her home back in Naboo.  
When he came back, he placed the heavy chest on the floor and studied her as she went through the small pile, smiling away as she ran her hands over the expensive fabrics. 

He looked to the wine bottle next to her and saw she had finished off the rest of it to herself. Kriff, he thought to himself. She’s gonna regret that later.

She stood up with one of the dresses and looked up at him.

“Turn around while I change.”

He shot her a lazy smile. “You would deprive me of such a beautiful sight?”

“It will be worth it, trust me.”

She twirled her finger around, motioning for him to turn his back to her.

He held his hands up in surrender and did as she asked, reluctantly turning to give her some privacy as she changed into the dress.

“Ok, you can look now” she told him after a few minutes.

He turned and swallowed loudly. She was wearing a pale pink gown with a large slit on one side, exposing her leg up to the top of her thigh. The edges of the dress were adorned with gentle ruffles and the dress itself had intricate gold patterns and swirls running all over it. Its delicate sleeves sat just above her elbows and the gold patterns on the bodice seemed to resemble the shape of a tree that branched out into leaves scattered in the wind. She looked beautiful in it. Poe still thought seeing her wearing his clothes was the sexiest thing he could ever have imagined but even he had to admit, her in that dress, with splashes of her skin showing, teasing him was almost intoxicating. He wanted to kiss down from her ankles up to her exposed thigh and even further...

She looked like a goddess, he almost felt unworthy of her.

Almost.

As he tried to find words she giggled at his stunned silence.

“I have rendered the greatest talker ever speechless. Either I look good or I look horrifying.”

He shook his head. “Kriff Lyra, not just good. You look, wow, I mean, are you real? Am I dreaming right now? Can you pinch me or something? Make sure I haven’t gone to the afterlife.”

She closed the gap between them and poked his chest gently. “Definitely not in the afterlife, and I’m definitely real. I think.”

He looked her up and down. “Wow, just. You look amazing.”

“Thank you. This last time I wore this dress was for a ball in Naboo. Come, I’ll teach you how to dance like a noble.”

She took his arms, placing one on the small of her back and held the other.

“Are you sure you can do this? With your leg?”

“I might be a little slow but I’m leaning on you. Besides, traditionally, the man leads the dance, so just, step until you find a rhythm and then I follow it.”

He tried it, immediately tripping after the third step and she laughed, steadying him as she did so. As he eventually found a rhythm, he drew her closer to him, feeling that similar pull to her that he felt back on Felucia. Touching her, holding her felt like the greatest feeling in the galaxy.  
She stared up at his lips as his eyes fell heavy at the lustful feeling of having her so close to him. They drew closer and closer until Lyra, not realising just how much she had drank, tripped and fell against Poe’s chest.

They stood there for a minute, laughing like two children at ease with everything. Lyra hiccupped softly and Poe, looking into her glassy eyes finally realised she was far more drunk than she was letting on. He turned his back to her and knelt down again, inviting her to another piggyback.

“Come on you, jump on. I think it’s time we head back to the living quarters.”

“But what about the dresses?”

“I’ll get them, don’t worry, jump on.”

She obliged, clumsily throwing herself onto his back as he secured her legs in his arms while she tightened her grip around his chest. He tried not to think about his hand touching the bare flesh of her thigh as he bent down to grab the chest of dresses and walked back to the living quarters. As he made for her room, she stopped him, holding a hand out against the wall.

“Wait, wait go to your room, your bed is bigger and I want to sit and talk to you comfortably” she told him, her words slurred slightly.

“See, I knew the noble girl was in you somewhere, look at you pining for the nicer things in life” Poe replied as he opened the door to his room. BB-8 had already found his way back to his little corner in Poe’s room and turned his head to his master and Lyra as Poe placed her on the bed gently. 

When the young woman noticed the little droid, she reached over the bed to pet him softly, causing him to beep softly. 

“You were not asleep, I saw you look over at us” she giggled.

The droid let out another series of beeps. 

“Alright, we’ll be quiet I promise, goodnight B.”

As she turned back to face Poe she covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. “I think he’s mad with me.”

Poe sat up on the bed as Lyra lay next to him. “What can I say, my buddy likes his sleep.”

She wrinkled her nose up in silent laughter as she lay on her side, looking up at Poe.

“You can get comfortable you know, I won’t bite you” she whispered to him. 

He paused, knowing that laying so close to her would just make him pine for her and make him grieve over the fact they weren’t together, not fully anyway. Not in the ways he selfishly desired. At times he wished Hux was dead, then she wouldn’t feel guilty about choosing Poe over him. When those thoughts crossed his mind he more often than not, immediately regretted them, knowing that Hux’s death would mean Lyra would be heartbroken, and he could never stand to see that pass. Not if he could help it, no matter how much it hurt him. 

After a long pause, he kicked off his boots and slid down to lie next to her. Lyra wasted no time in resting her head against his shoulder, making Poe use every ounce of control he had in his body to stay calm. 

“Poe if you could go back to one day in your life, what day would you go back to?”

Poe looked up at the ceiling, exhaling loudly as he thought.

“I don’t know, the only things that are coming to mind is the day you got shot. I would go back and stop you from getting hurt I guess. Or maybe the day we lost a member of Black Squadron, L’ulo. I’d go back and save him. Guess I would have been too young to go back and do anything to save my mom. What about you?”

Lyra trailed her hand over the collar of his shirt absentmindedly.

“The day I met you. I would have saved you that very day, so Ren didn’t have the chance to hurt you.”

Poe looked down at her. “You think about that a lot?”

Lyra stared back at him and nodded slowly. “The idea of you getting hurt. I can’t bear it. I can hardly handle the mere memory of seeing you all beaten up and bloody. I know we have only known each other a few weeks but now, the idea of my life without you in it is, impossible. Isn’t that strange? That’s stupid isn’t it? I should stop talking, this is the wine talking. I’m sorry.”

She put her hand on her forehead as she cringed.

Poe smiled at her, watching every line on her face, every curve of her smile. She was a wonder to him, one he felt he could marvel at forever.

“No, that’s not stupid, I feel the same way. You shouldn’t feel guilty about not rescuing me earlier. I’m just thankful you saved me at all. Really, I’m just thankful you walked into my life to begin with. It’s been, interesting to say the least.”

Lyra grinned at up him before her gaze fell down to his lips, causing her to bite her own bottom lip.

“Do you want to know a secret?”

He nodded.

“When I look at you, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to kiss someone as much as I want to kiss you. But it’s more than that, it’s not just that. When I look at you, I feel, right. I feel so sure of everything. It’s like when you wake up and everything’s blurry at first but then you concentrate and suddenly everything seems a little clearer, you make everything clearer.”

Poe’s stomach dropped. Lyra was drunk, she most likely wouldn’t remember what she had just admitted the next morning but he would have it engrained into him. He would have to live with the fact that she returned his feelings and yet would not act on it. He swallowed a gulp down loudly as she moved closer to him, and as her lips drew closer to his, he turned his head to face the ceiling.

“Lyra, I can’t.”

She frowned. “What’s the matter? I thought you wanted me? I thought you liked me?”

“I do, that’s exactly why I can’t kiss you right now. You’re drunk, I don’t want to take advantage, and even if I was enough of an asshole to do that, I want to be more than just a drunk kiss.”

She nodded, biting her lip again. “I understand.”

He shifted on the bed and sat up. “I should go. It’s late and you should get some rest, I’ll take your bed.”

She let out a little whimper as she grabbed at his arm. “No please, won’t you stay? In case I’m sick? I promise, no funny business, I just don’t want to be alone right now. Not after we lost so many of our own, not after Han. I just want to feel close to you. Please stay.”

Poe inclined his head towards her, before settling back down and allowing Lyra to cuddle up next to him. “Ok, I’ll stay. You know I’ll be here for you. As long as you want me to.”


	18. Atlas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys loved the last chapter as much as I loved writing it. I honestly adore writing Poe as the sweetheart we all know he is. That being said, Poor Armitage hasn’t had any love recently, so this chapter is for him. The chapter’s title is inspired by the Greek mythology tale about the titan condemned to hold the sky up for eternity. I see Armitage as the one responsible for holding up the First Order half the time (seeing as Ren is so moody and volatile) and I also see Armitage as holding everything dangerous up and away from Lyra as you’ll see more clearly in this chapter.

The wine Lyra had consumed far too quickly led her to nostalgic dreams that night. Her mind travelled back to a time when her and Armitage were in a better place, a year after they had married, living together peacefully in their home back in Naboo.

XXX

Armitage let out a quiet moan as he spent himself inside his wife. She locked her legs around him as he lay atop her a moment, his head leaning against her own as he tried to catch his breath. As she smiled up at him and moved a strand of his hair from his face he stared down at her. The early Naboo sun creeping in through the light curtains illuminated the contours of her face. Her beautiful face. Her shinning raven hair splayed out across the pillow and crystal blue eyes, glossy with lust was the most welcome sight he had ever seen. One he believed he could never tire of. 

He placed a soft, clumsy kiss on her lips before moving to lay beside her, allowing her to rest her head on his chest lovingly. His fingers drew little circles across the soft flesh of her shoulder as he held her close. 

“That was wonderful darling. What an exquisite start to what otherwise might have been a very tiresome day” he said quietly.

Lyra kissed his chest gently, deliberately drawing her nails down his stomach provocatively. “You don’t have to sort out things for tonight’s drinks reception all day you know. Everything is all but sorted. You could just stay here and make love to me all day.”

He laughed softly. “As utterly tempting as that sounds, you know I still have some documents to file through in the study as well. As it turns out, my father is still a burden onto me, even after he’s died. Going through his paperwork is a bloody nightmare, but I should know all the details of the First Order’s plans before tonight.”

Lyra pouted up at him. “Are they really going to school you about everything First Order related at a drinks reception? Everyone will be casually socialising, you just need enough information to get by and a healthy dose of small talk.”

He planted another gentle kiss on her pouting lips. “As usual, you are probably right. However, seeing as this leader Snoke is going to be there tonight. I want to be prepared.”

He ran his hand across her cheek softly before slipping out of bed and throwing on some clothes. As he changed, Lyra pushed the bed covers back with her feet and lay on her stomach, kicking one foot up as she glanced over at him, watching him watch her and her languid movements.

“Fine, suit yourself, your loss.”

Armitage smiled over at her, taking in the sight of her naked body. He felt like the luckiest man alive. Not only did he have such a beautiful woman as his wife, he felt she returned the depth of emotion he felt for her. He went to her side, bending over her body and kissed the base of her spine all the way up to her shoulder blades. “It is my loss indeed darling.”

As Lyra got changed and had her breakfast out on the balcony looking out at the lake, Armitage filed through the last of his late father’s documents. Lyra had been worth every decision Armitage had taken against his father. Every single one of them. However, filing through his father’s notes on the Rebellion as well as the First Order’s plans to gain power in order to secure peace and order within the galaxy was proving a long and tedious task. He was more than capable of completing the work his father had set out and begun, but he debated throwing away his fathers notes and starting from scratch. 

After an hour or so of rummaging through old data files, Armitage began to grow blind to the words in-front of him, skipping sentences here and there in order to run through them as quickly as possible. That is, until he came upon an order than turned his stomach. His heart sank as he read the words of his late father…. 

Personal log no. 193

My useless son is working against me. Just when he was showing potential to be a disciplined member of the military who would go far in this galaxy, his head has been turned by a woman even more useless than him. A fruitless, brainless harlot of a girl who will deny him not just children, but the chance to rise up in the ranks of the First Order. 

He insists on marrying her, telling me he will forsake everything he has worked for just to be with her. I have told him I disapprove, that I will ensure he will never be the ruler I know he can and wants to be if he proceeds with this marriage and yet I do not believe it will be enough to dissuade him to find another, more befitting wife. 

I have spoken to Havings, a man who once served under Grand Moff Tarkin of such matters. He told me that in the past, troublesome distractions like this Lyrasanna are all too easy to dispose of. People ‘go missing’ all the time. Armitage would never believe me, he would know I was the one responsible if anything happened to the whore, but in the long run, he would thank me. Ridding him of such a meaningless distraction would mean he could set his sights on what really matters. Becoming a leader. 

I will discuss this matter with Havings another time. For now, I will not allow this pitiful girl to distract me as much as she distracts Armitage.

BH

The data log shook in Armitage’s hands as his whole body filled with rage. His father had planned to have Lyra killed. Armitage had not needed anymore reassurance that disposing of his father was the right thing to do, but this, this really did prove that his father was nothing more than a bug that needed trampling on. The idea that anyone in the galaxy would ever want Lyra dead was far too much for him to handle. 

He didn’t understand how anybody could want to hurt his flower, his reason for living, a woman who was guilty of nothing but loving him. 

“Tij, is everything alright?”

He turned suddenly to see Lyra stood there in a cream nightgown and embellished robe. She stood in the doorway, her hands leaning against the doorframe as she watched him with a worried look on her face.

“Yes darling, everything is fine now, my father’s words can be tough to read through, that’s all.”

She stepped forward and sat on his lap gently as he pushed the data log aside, not wanting her to read it. Not wanting to see her hurt. She ran her fingers through his hair softly as she stared down at him.

“You look as if you have the whole weight on your shoulders Tij. Are you sure everything’s alright?”

He brought her hand to his lips as he kissed her gently. “I don’t think I’ve ever been too sure of anything in my entire life, except you.”

The young woman smiled, tracing her fingers across his bottom lip. “Tij, you can be such a stoic man sometimes and then you go and say things like that and every part of me melts. You know I feel the same way don’t you? I always want you to hold onto that.”

He nodded, bridging the gap between them both to kiss her. 

“Please finish up with all the business to do with your father. I fear it’s making you sad and we simply can’t have that, not on the day of this reception that means so much to do.”

Armitage smiled at her as he ran his hands down her arms softly. “Alright, you win. I’ll stop looking through my father’s things. I’ll spend time with you but then, I need to do some last-minute preparations for tonight. Do we have a deal?”

Lyra grinned as she stood up, taking his hand in her own as she did so. “Good, I was thinking a little trip down to the marketplace and then lunch at our favourite little café. Does that sound good to you?”

Armitage smiled down at his wife as she led them out of the study. “Whatever you want my darling, I’m happy following your plan.”

She skipped off to get changed and together they made their way down to the Naboo marketplace together. Armitage had found a habit of surprising Lyra with a new bouquet of flowers once a week that he bought down at the marketplace. He would watch her as she looked around, taking note of what colours she was most drawn to and then would surprise her with it the next day. Lyra would wake the next day with a bouquet by her bedside. Often, when Armitage left for work, she would wake to several bouquets of flowers in their bedroom.   
Once, he had left her a note simply stating:

My Darling,

One flower as beautiful as you deserves to be surrounded by your kin. You bring everything around you into bloom, including me.   
My heart is yours, always.  
AH

Armitage Hux watched his wife make her way through the marketplace and as he watched her smile and greet those passing by, the idea that his father wanted her dead angered him more. He wondered if he would have really gone through with it. If he could have taken the life of someone who meant no harm to anyone. He wondered if the galaxy was full of the kinds of men who would want such a sweet creature dead. Suddenly, anxiety took a hold of him. He could not help but wonder if Lyra would always be in danger. If there would always be another man out there who would want her dead, whether it was to get at Hux, or out of spite, or even jealousy. As he clenched his fists together so hard his knuckles turned white, Lyra turned back to touch his face softly.

“Did you hear what I said Tij? Goodness, you seem lightspeeds away from me. Are you sure everything is alright?”

Armitage frowned. Feeling the softness of her hand seemed like a cruel reminder of just how delicate she was, how easy it would be for someone to crush the life from her. He shook his head.

“I’m sorry my darling, I was distracted, just thinking about tonight. What did you ask?”

She paused for a moment, wondering where her husband’s mind had gone to. “I asked if you wanted me to get you some more of the tarine tea you like? Do you want to go back home after? I know you’re worried for tonight, I don’t wish to distract you.”

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly. “All is well my darling. Time with you is more important.”

She bought him more of his favourite tea (the kind she couldn’t stand due to it’s bitterness) and they sat down for lunch at a café they had visited almost every few weeks since they had met. 

As Armitage watched his wife’s beautiful raven hair glisten in the Naboo sunshine as she ordered food, he thought of his place in the First Order. They both had a good life together, he worked, but not enough that he couldn’t spend sufficient time with her. They had more than enough money to live comfortably and yet, he felt he could do more for her. She spied him staring at her, just like how he stared at her when they first met. He was often at war with his own head, constantly assessing things or worrying about matters that had not even come to pass. Lyra would try her best to relieve him of his own mental processes, but she began to wonder if it was enough.   
“I’d love to know what runs through that head of yours when you go silent on me” she said as she reached out a hand to her. He held it, stroking her softly. 

“You know I love you, don’t you?”

“Armitage as if you have to even think about asking that question. Of course I know, I love you too.”

He frowned. “And you know I would do anything to protect you?”

“Yes? What is this about?”

He shook his head. “Nothing, I just wanted you to know that I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, always.”

She nodded. “I know. I do wish you would let me into your mind sometimes. Always running away into your own head, I can’t follow you there. It’s the only place I don’t know how to get to.”

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. “I’m sorry I seem a little distant today. I just have a lot to think about.”

She bit her lip as she stared over at him. “I know. I understand. I just want you to know I’m here if you need me. If you want to go ahead to the venue to sort things out for tonight then go ahead. If it eases your mind, you can get any last-minute things organised and I can meet you at the venue.”

He loved how understanding she was. Armitage Hux was often a man of few words and yet Lyra seemed to understand what he was trying to convey when words would not do. When he was stressed, she would pour him a glass of whiskey, when he was content, tarine tea. If he was sad, she wouldn’t ask him if he was alright, she would merely kiss his cheek or shoulder softly and tell him she was there. If he was thinking about his childhood or his father, she would hold him to her and trace her fingertips across his back or chest to relax him. These little rituals developed more and more as their relationship continued and he was increasingly grateful for them. 

“Are you all set for this reception tonight?”

She waved a hand around casually. “Oh you know me, I can strike up conversation with anyone, I’ll be fine. But I can’t wait for you to see my dress.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You do know the dress code is black don’t you?”

He knew his wife’s interest in fashion. He knew she was more likely to come dressed in some elaborate ball gown than just a plain black dress.

“I know the dress code Tij, yes, you told me, half a dozen times I believe.”

“Only because I know you so well and your dress habits.”

“Perhaps I should never wear clothes then, that way I cannot disappoint” she replied with a wink.

“You know that sounds like pure bliss to me darling. Anyway, you never disappoint, I just know you also don’t often conform.”

She smirked. “How boring this galaxy would be if everyone conformed to the same thing. Now come on, let’s eat, enjoy ourselves and not stress about tonight.”

They enjoyed lunch together as they sat and spoke for a few hours, forgetting about the world around them. After lunch and after Tij dressed into his rather dashing, smart clothes for the evening, he found Lyra in the bathroom dressed in a robe, trying on earrings. 

“Darling, I’m going to the venue now to sort the last-minute preparations, are you sure you’re fine to meet me there?”

He kissed her shoulder softly as he stood behind her, surveying the earrings.

“Yes, I’ll be fine, what do you think, these earrings or the ones you bought me for my birthday last year?”

He kissed her shoulder again. “Both look perfect on you darling. I have to run, I’ll see you later.”

She rolled her eyes as he left her to her get ready on her own. “You’re no help at all Tij” she called down to him and laughed when he shouted an apology to her from downstairs. 

xxx

 

Armitage checked the time. Lyra was late, most of the guests had arrived at the reception already and Snoke himself was due to arrive any moment. He didn’t want Lyra to arrive at the same time and steer attention away from the leader of the First Order. Tonight was Armitage’s chance to impress. 

As he spoke to a colleague of his, one of the guests laughed as he nudged Armitage’s side.

“Did your wife not get the memo on the dress code Hux?”

Armitage turned to see Lyra at the top of the stairs of the hall. She was wearing a midnight blue, off the shoulder gown. Thin golden thread in the shape of small diamonds adorned the dress and the skirts billowed out around her. Her hair was up in a less than neat bun and a silver circlet adorned her head. She had gone with the earrings Hux had bought her for her birthday last year. Waterfall diamonds that reached her chin. Understated? She was anything but. 

“She definitely received the memo” Armitage said quietly as he watched her descend the stairs delicately.

“Well, at any rate, she looks positively radiant, you are a lucky man” his colleague replied back to him, leaving Hux to watch his wife in wonder.

As she approached him, he held his arm out for her and raised a questioning eyebrow. 

“Black, I distinctly remember saying the dress code was black. All the other women here seemed to have gotten that memo.”

She grinned up at him. “Oh, that memo, yes well. My memory has been a little off lately and besides, the black washed me out, so here I am. Blue is close enough is it not?”

He kissed her cheek softly. “At a party where everyone is in black? You stick out just a tad darling.”

“Are you angry with me?”

“No. I half expected it anyway. You look mesmerising. I suppose you get points for making every man in here jealous that you aren’t his. I can’t pretend it isn’t nice for me, having the most beautiful woman alive as my wife.”

Lyra sighed heavily. “Ah it’s so nice to have a husband who truly appreciates me.”

The happy couple spent an hour making small talk with Armitage’s colleagues and superiors, making good impressions and lightening the otherwise, usually serious mood within the First Order. That is, until Snoke arrived.

Lyra had never seen him before and she was ashamed to say that the sight of him filled her with a sense of unease. His disfigured appearance aside he looked at those around him in a sinister manner, as if he was assessing who was useful to him, and who he could dispose of. Armitage caught her looking and held her hand. 

“This is it Lyra, my chance to impress him. I need to talk to him, will you be alright here, with the others?”

She nodded. “Yes, just be careful Armitage, that man looks as if he might bring the wrath of the galaxy down upon you if you offend him.”

He kissed her forehead softly before making his way over to Leader Snoke. Armitage Hux was not a nervous man, not since his military training had finished. Before then, as his father had painfully reminded him often, he was a weak, paper thin slip of a boy, but years of beatings had set him straight. There, standing in-front of Leader Snoke, he felt like that weak thin boy again, capable of nothing. He clenched his fists, taking a deep breath in as he waited for his opportunity to talk to Snoke, and then, as the crowds cleared off, he seized his opportunity. 

“Leader Snoke, it’s an honour to see you.”

Snoke turned, looking Armitage up and down as if he were a dog before smirking. “Armitage Hux, good to see you.”

Hux’s eyes widened. He knew who he was. The leader knew who he was. “Good, good to see you too Leader Snoke.”

“I hear you have excelled in every program in the military, and that you have succeeded in every task put forward to you in the First Order.”

Armitage glanced down nervously. “Well, yes Leader Snoke, I try my best in everything I do at work.”

“And the First Order, you believe in our cause?”

“There’s much to be said for an organization who believes in achieving peace.”

Snoke nodded slowly. “But you question our methods?”

Armitage cleared his throat. “I’ll admit that I sometimes struggle to see how everyone in the galaxy would agree to one ruler, one set of ideals. If it can be achieved, I can see why it can lead to peace, but organizing that is quite a task.”

“Do you believe you’re up for the task?”

Armitage met his gaze. “I believe I can prove myself in anything military based, Leader Snoke.”

Again, Snoke nodded. “And what is it you would fight for? World peace, a galaxy united. What else?”

Armitage looked over at Lyra. She was busy making his colleagues laugh while she sipped a glass of wine in-between talking.

“My wife, she, she means a lot to me. I worry for her safety, I worry I cannot provide it. My own father wished her dead.”

Snoke smirked. “Love makes warriors of us all Hux. I could use a man like you serving our cause, I could give you power. Power to achieve everything you have ever wanted. The power to succeed, the power to achieve what your father never could. And most of all, I could provide you with the power you need to keep your wife safe. With great power, nobody would question you, nobody would dare touch your wife out of the fear of what you would do to them. Out of the fear of what the First Order would do to them. I can make it so nobody ever even thinks to lay a finger on your wife, ever again.”

Armitage stared at Snoke. What he was promising was everything Hux had ever wanted. The power to impress those around him, to prove his usefulness, and above all else, the power to protect the one person he cared more about in the entire galaxy. 

“I believe you would serve well as one of my General’s Hux, but I need you to follow my orders and believe in what I am trying to achieve.”

Hux glanced over at his beautiful wife and then back to Snoke. “Yes Leader Snoke, anything you ask of me, I will do it.”


	19. Yavin IV

When Lyra woke up the next morning, she quickly became aware she was not in her own room and as she looked down she noticed she had been resting her head on Poe's chest. His arms were closed around her protectively and his head was buried in her hair.  
She tried to move away as quietly and slowly as possible so she didn't wake him but he must have sensed her moving away from him as his eyes opened slowly as her head moved to rest on the pillow next to his.

"Hey" he breathed quietly, his eyes still half closed.

"Good morning sleepyhead. Did I stay here all night?"

He nodded.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "Don't be sorry. It was nice. Can't remember the last time I had someone sleeping next to me. Best night's sleep I've had in a while."

Lyra nodded. If she was being honest with herself, she could have said the same. Some nights when she slept alone, she had nightmares of killing Aryss or the stormtroopers on Takodana. She sometimes would have terrible nightmares of Hux. She dreamt of him ordering her own execution, sometimes by his own hand. When those nightmares occurred, she would wake in a nervous sweat after seeing visions of him choking the life from her. Last night with Poe, she had only experienced good dreams, or soundless sleep.

"Me too" she whispered to him, watching him stretch his arms out.

Looking to her left she saw BB-8 was still in his little corner, his systems still turned off as he 'slept'.

"So I was thinking, seeing as we have some free time after finishing that last mission, I'm gonna go visit my dad on Yavin, would you like to join me?"

Lyra swallowed down a gulp as she stared over at him, his eyes now fully open as he looked down at her with a small smile.  
"You want me to meet your father?"

Poe's gaze shifted to a nervous stare. "Well, yeah. I want you to see my home and you know my dad just happens to be there. I think it will be nice, I saw your home, now you can see mine. Only if you want, it you don't, it's fine. I totally understand if you don't want to."

"No, I'd love to, I'd love that."

Poe smiled at her, stretching out some more. "Perfect, well, I just need to finish up some things here on base and then we can go this afternoon?"

Lyra smiled "Yes, that sounds perfect, I can wear one of the dresses you brought back for me."

Poe sat up on his elbows. "You don't have to make that kind of effort you know. My home is on a ranch."

She sat up, taking the time to stretch out herself. "Nonsense, I want to make a good first impression when I meet your father."

"I'm sure he'll like you as much as I do" Poe said, running a hand through his hair messily as he watched her stand up.

"Nevertheless, this is important to me. I'll meet you at the docks later."

Poe watched as she put her shoes on and left him to get ready himself.

Outside at the docks, Leia was already busy talking to some rebels about the next move they would make against the First Order. As he approached her she smiled over at him, she still looked tired, but she seemed to be coping as well as she could with the loss of her husband.

"Poe, good morning, you and Lyra left the party early last night I noticed. Did you have fun?"

He noticed her smirk and rolled his eyes. "Not in the way you are thinking General. We talked, and then she got drunk so I carried her back to my room and we talked more. That's all. But General, I was going to ask your permission to go to Yavin IV for a day. I want to visit my dad, let him know I'm doing alright."

"Permission granted. Are you going alone or are you taking BB-8 with you?"

"Yeah, I'm taking my buddy with me, and I asked Lyra to come with me too."

Leia's eyes widened as Poe told her. "You are taking her to your home, to meet your dad? Wow, Dameron you have got it hard for this girl."

Poe's cheeks flushed with colour as he looked down at the ground, suddenly embarrassed. "Well you know, I've seen where she lives and she doesn't have a home anymore, not since leaving Hux. I just wanted her to feel more comfortable."

Leia let out a little chuckle. "Mmhmm, and you're sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you want your dad to like her, or that you want her to fall in love with Yavin so she'll stay there with you after this war is over?"

Poe crossed his arms. "The thought may have crossed my mind, perhaps. I just, it means a lot to me that she knows she has somewhere she can call home, that she has somewhere she feels she belongs."

Leia smirked again. "Whatever you say Dameron, you have my permission to go, and for the record, I think your dad is gonna love her."

The General nodded her head out towards the dock and when Poe turned, he saw Lyra walking towards them both. She was wearing another beautiful gown, though this was one significantly more understated than the one she had modelled for him the night before. Deep royal blue with a sash that pulled the dress into her waist tightly. Long sleeves and a glittering silver and blue mesh along the bodice and sleeves made it look as though it was a glistening night sky.

He smiled lazily at her as she approached them both.

"Don't you look a vision" the General said.

"Why thank you General. Poe was nice enough to fetch some of my personal belongings when we stopped by Naboo. Has he told you our plans?"

"Yes, you have my full permission, and my blessing" she said with a wink. "Enjoy Yavin IV both of you, Lyra I'm sure you'll love it. It's a beautiful planet, almost as beautiful as Naboo."

"It IS as beautiful as Naboo, if not more beautiful" Poe interjected.

Lyra frowned. "I highly doubt that, you've seen Naboo, it has everything anyone could ever want."

The Pilot shrugged as he passed her. "It doesn't have me, so not everything."

Leia sighed heavily as she looked over at Lyra. "Have fun you two, don't get too wild. You might want to say goodbye to Rey though before you go, she's leaving to find Luke today."

"We wouldn't dream of it without you General" the young woman replied, following behind Poe to his ship with BB-8 by her side.  
As Poe prepared the ship, Lyra caught up with Rey, who was busy communicating with R2-D2.

"The General tells me you're leaving soon?" 

Rey stood up and nodded as she looked at Lyra. "Yes, later this afternoon in-fact. You look nice."

Lyra smiled as she clasped the scavengers shoulder affectionately. "Thank you. Rey, I wish you every bit of luck, I hope you find the answers you're looking for."

Rey glanced at Lyra's hand on her shoulder before pulling her into a hug. "Thank you Lyra, I'll be back soon, with Luke and we can finally be done with all this fighting."

"I wish for that too, be safe Rey. I imagine you would be unstoppable once you learn how to harness this power inside of you."

Rey nodded. "Not as unstoppable as you are once you decide on something."

"Some call that foolishness."

"Foolishness that gets things done."

The two women laughed before Lyra looked down at R2-D2.

"Keep close watch over this one Artoo, she'll keep you on your toes..... or wheels I should say."

R2 beeped in agreement and the two women finally said goodbye, giving each other one last hug.

As Rey walked away, Lyra could only hope her mission was a successful one and she returned to the Resistance stronger than she was before she left. 

XXX

Poe insisted they go to Yavin IV in his mother's X-Wing after Lyra suggested they take a ship that was actually big enough to seat the two of them.

The Pilot had said his father always liked to see him use his mother's ship when he came home, but Lyra suspected it had more to do with the fact that using his X-Wing meant they could sit closer together, with Poe's arms around her, and his breath on her neck. If she said she didn't enjoy being in such close proximity to him she would be lying, but sometimes the closeness of Poe would be a bitter reminder of Armitage and the little seeds of guilt would bury themselves inside her as they always did when she got too close to Poe.

As they made their way to the Pilot's home, he noticed her playing with her hands nervously.

"It's ok you know, you don't need to panic, he's gonna love you."

Lyra half turned to him. "You don't know that. What if he hates me, what if he doesn't trust me. What if all he can see is my past?"

Poe's fingers traced over hers softly. "It's really touching that you are so worried about this but seriously. You don't need to be. He will like you because I like you. That's how it works, that's how parents work."

Lyra shook her head. "Well, I wouldn't know much about that. Mine were absent most of my life and even if they were present they would have made it all too clear if they didn't approve of who I spent my time with."

Poe suddenly felt guilty. He had forgotten about Lyra's bad relationship with her parents. He hadn't realised that taking her to meet his father might have been a hard pill for her to swallow, reminding her of what she didn't have.

"If you aren't comfortable with this Lyra you can say. I don't want to make you do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, you know that."

She leaned back against him. "I always forget how thoughtful you are. I want this Poe, it means a lot to you and so therefore, it means a lot to me. I'm just nervous, that's all."

Poe felt her relax against him and he stroked her hand once more. "You don't need to be nervous, you're a Resistance hero now remember? That already wins major points in his books."

Lyra nodded. "So, tell me about Yavin and how it's apparently more beautiful than Naboo."

"Well, for a start, not many upper class snobs there. That's always a bonus. There are Jedi temples stretching up so high they reach the clouds, and waterfalls deep in the jungles filled with crystal clear waters, clearer than any water you will ever see. When the sun sets, the skies turn colours you could swear somebody had painted. All reds and purples and out on the horizon, ships cross, full of people learning how to become skilled pilots."

She grinned. "You do make it sound beautiful. However you lack one thing in your descriptions that would have equalled Yavin to Naboo."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"The buildings silly. I doubt anywhere in the galaxy has architecture that could rival Naboo's."

She felt Poe shrug his shoulders against her. "You don't need pretty buildings when the natural things around you are so beautiful."

She laughed. "Aha, so Naboo has better buildings then?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, a smile playing about his face. "I never said that. The buildings are pretty in Yavin, but nothing is quite so, extravagant as it is in Naboo."

"Aha, I knew Naboo had something over Yavin."

"Easy there, not true. People on Yavin just spend their money on more important things, like the upkeep of the Jedi temples and the flight schools or you know, its people."

She frowned back at him. "Are you saying Naboo doesn't care about its people? It's the planet where democracy was practically founded. Queen Amidala herself was born there."

"So was Darth Sidious."

"You are impossible."

Poe let out a small laugh, causing her to look back at him with a frown. "What, what's so funny?"

"Nothing" he said. "It's just, that's this is the closest we have come to fighting."

"Is this fighting? I'd call it aggressive debating."

They met each other's stares before bursting into laughter.

"I'm gonna use that term next time we really do fight. Calm down sweetheart, we aren't fighting, we are aggressively debating."  
She grinned back at him. "Oh really? And what can you see us fighting about?"

Poe bit his lip softly. "Let's see. We are fighting about choosing a place to grab dinner, or about how one of us said no presents for a birthday and one of us broke that rule and got them anyway. Or fighting about who we spend life day with. Or fighting about me going on a dangerous mission and you getting mad at the idea of losing me and then I get mad at you because for the first time in my life, I actually care about getting home for safe for someone. Those kinds of fights."

Lyra's smile fell slightly as she concentrated on him. "You have thought a lot about this, haven't you?"

Poe nodded as he looked out at the skies ahead, needing to concentrate on where he was flying the ship. "You said it yourself the other night, when I look at you, things just seem a little clearer. It's the same for me."

She looked down as she continued to play nervously with her hands. "Those seem like good fights to have though. If there is such a thing."

"Of course there is, I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, so when we fight, it's just, disagreements, here and there."

Lyra knew Poe was right. Though Armitage had never intentionally hurt her, he made decisions regardless of her feelings over   
things that were far too important to disagree on. Poe had only ever butted heads with Lyra when it came to wanting to protect her for things he felt were too dangerous for her, and so far so had impressed him and proved him wrong every single time.

As they approached Yavin, Lyra peered down at the planet beneath them. Lush jungles spread out as far as she could see and the Jedi temples Poe had spoken about did indeed reach so high they touched the clouds.

Poe chuckled as he watched Lyra's jaw drop as she saw the grandiose of his home planet.

"Told you she was beautiful" he muttered.

She beamed back at him. "Oh Poe, it's wonderful. Are there any buildings though? Where do you all sleep?"

"Of course there are buildings, there are little settlements scattered around the planet and then a lot of the residents like to live within the jungle, it's just the trees are so high you can't see them."

Poe found a landing strip at the planet's busiest docks and landed the X-Wing safely. As he helped her down from the ship he noticed her staring at the lack of rebel or military ships.

"Yavin used to be a rebel base during Leia's time as princess of Alderaan. After the attack against the first Death Star, the imperial forces cleared Yavin out of its military forces. Its always been known as great training grounds for pilots, but it took a lot to build its population and resources up again after the Imperial forces hit it pretty bad. We think using it as a military base for the rebels again might be a little too obvious."

Lyra nodded as she stared around. "It's beautiful. Truly it is."

Poe kept hold of her hand. "Come on, you haven't seen anything yet. I want to show you everything there is to see in Yavin. Besides the nearest settlement isn't too far from here and the ranch is just west of it."

Her and BB-8 followed as Poe took her hand and led her past the docks and into the lush jungles surrounding them. Unlike Felucia which seemed to be a host of every colour imaginable, Yavin's jungles were predominantly filled with lush greens and blues. The creatures that lived in the trees and trudged across the grounds seemed a lot less sinister too, there were no signs of rancors at least. They passed one of the Jedi temples as they walked and it was so tall, Lyra hurt her neck trying to look at the top of it. There were carvings set in the stones of the temple and she felt like she was looking at a part of the galaxies most important history. They stopped to look at them for a while, as Poe told her a few stories of the Jedi knights and Sith lord's that once trained and studied in the same temple.

Afterwards, Poe led Lyra to the settlement nearest his family home. The busy village reminded her of the marketplaces in Naboo, a little less regal, but nonetheless full of merchants selling similar wares from their carts.

She watched as some children played around her and then, up in the trees, they climbed up into little treehouses and ran across wooden bridges.

"You get a lot of treehouses here, we make use of the space, and the views" Poe told her.

It wasn't flash, or regal like Naboo, but it was alive. Families lived here, people were happy. It was nice to witness. It was charming, Naboo would always be home to Lyra but this place, she could be happy in Yavin, with Poe by her side at least.

She felt him tug on her hand. "Come on, the ranch isn't far, it's time to meet my dad."


	20. Regrets & Revelations

Kes Dameron’s ranch was beautiful. What it lacked for in expensive materials and grandiose design, it made up for in spirit. The ranch itself was situated at the base of a hill, and by the side of it, was a series of small waterfalls. There were three fathiers grazing in the paddock by the other side of the ranch and as well as the main building there were also two treehouses connected by a wooden bridge high above in the treetops.

Lyra grinned as she stared at Poe’s childhood home. She could imagine him playing on the ranch as a child and for a moment, she envied his childhood, knowing from the way he spoke about his parents, it was one filled with only happy memories.

“Dad, I’m home” Poe called as they approached the house.

“Poe, son, is that you?”

They looked up to one of the second story windows to see Kes leaning out of it, smiling down to his son.

“I’ll be right down, let yourself in.”

BB-8 let out an excited string of beeps as Poe pushed the front door open and allowed Lyra in first. The house opened up into the living room, a cosy den of couches and cushions, as well as hand woven tapestries on the walls. There was a fireplace in-front of the main couch and cushions covering the floor to make more sitting room. The whole room reminded Lyra of the forts she would make in her bedroom alone as a little girl, using old sheets and the corners of her bed.

She looked around at the photographs of Poe and his family as Kes made his way downstairs.  
“Son! You’re here. I heard the news about Starkiller, you succeeded. I knew you could!”

Kes Dameron embraced his son in a forceful hug as Poe threw his arms around him and let out a playful growl as he held his father tight.

“Hey, you’re talking about the best pilot in the galaxy, I was bound to succeed with that mission. Dad, I brought someone I would like you to meet.”

Poe pulled away from his father and they both turned to face Lyra, who was stood nervously with her hands resting on her stomach.

“Dad this is Lyra, Lyra this is my dad, Kes Dameron.”

She stepped forward and extended a hand to the older man.

“Pleased to meet you Mr Dameron.”

When Kes saw his late wife’s ring around her neck, he hesitated, before stepping forward and pulling Lyra into a gentle hug. “Call me Kes please. It’s good to meet you Lyra. Are you the reason my son hasn’t called in for weeks?”Kes asked as he pulled away from the hug.

Lyra’s eyes widened as she glanced nervously at Poe, who simply rolled his eyes at his father.  
“Easy dad, we have just been busy working on missions for Leia, that’s all. Lyra is the one who rescued me from Kylo Ren on the Finalizer, without her, I doubt I would be standing here today.”

Kes winced slightly at the mention of the Finalizer. He must have known what Poe had endured on-board the ship, at the mercy of Ren. It pained Lyra to know Poe had gone through such torture, she only ever wished she could have rescued him sooner.

The eldest Dameron nodded. “Well then, it isn’t just Poe that owes you a life debt, I do too. You did a very brave thing Lyra. I’ll be grateful to you forever for saving my son.”

Lyra smiled softly. “Please sir, it wouldn’t have been any other way. I think we might have saved each other that day.”

Kes reached out to clasp her shoulder affectionately. “Well, in any case, I want you to know you’re welcome here. Any time, and if there’s anything I can do to thank you for helping my son. Please, just name it.”

She grinned. “Your hospitality is more than enough, thank you.”

“Ooh, she’s very polite Poe. I like her.”

Poe and Lyra sat on the couch together as Kes made them all drinks. Outside, the sounds of the waterfalls filled the air. It was one of the most peaceful places Lyra had visited.

Kes Dameron looked like an older version of Poe. Same hair, only grey, same smile, same olive complexion, but not the same eyes. Poe had his mother’s eyes.

As Kes sat down with drinks, Poe sat so close to Lyra their bodies touched. Kes smirked as he noticed them sitting shoulder to shoulder.

“So, Lyra, where are you from? What made you want to stay working for Leia and the Resistance?”

“I’m from Naboo, originally. But I spent the last year of my life aboard the Finalizer. Before I escaped with Poe.”

Kes sighed as he leaned back against the couch opposite them.

“Jeez, a whole year? You poor thing, must have been in worse condition than my boy was. What were they keeping you prison for?”

Lyra’s heart sank. This was it, the moment any fondness Kes had for Lyra would disappear.  
As she regretfully went to speak, Poe took her hand in his own as he squeezed it as he saved her the trouble of telling him herself.

“Dad, Lyra wasn’t a prisoner. She was married to someone in the First Order.”

Kes raised an eyebrow. “Oh, then, why did you free my son?”

“Because it was the right thing to do sir. My husband and I never quite saw eye to eye on politics but I, I finally saw what the First Order was and what he had become. So I left to save Poe. To do the right thing.”

Her eyes went to the floor, she could barely look Kes in the eye. Knowing he had dedicated his whole life to the rebellion, knowing he was as headstrong as his son and had taken out countless Imperial soldiers. She knew he would hate her, or not trust her, at the very least, not want her in his home.

“Well, that’s very commendable then, what you did.”

She looked up at him, surprised by his reaction. He could sense her surprise as he leaned forward.

“Listen Lyra. My son has always been an excellent judge of character. If he trusts you, then I trust you. This life is not about your past. It’s about what you choose to do with your future. You have pledged allegiance to the Resistance, and if I go by what I’ve heard so far, you have already done a great job at helping us achieve a lot against the threats of the First Order.”

“She’s amazing dad. The courage she’s shown, it… well it even would have made mom proud.”

Lyra looked over at Poe as he squeezed her hand again, what a compliment to receive, knowing what his mother meant to him. 

“Well that’s high praise if I ever heard it. Why don’t I leave you to show Lyra around son, then we can meet outside in the gardens and have some lunch. Sound good?”

Poe didn’t hesitate in showing Lyra around his childhood home. There were photos of his mother in almost every room, photos of her and Kes together, and of her and Poe, even a few family portraits scattered around the house. The homestead was littered with books and memorabilia of the achievements from Shara and Kes’ past in the rebellion as well as Poe’s. Some books sat piled up high on bookshelves and others found themselves thrown across tables and any flat surface available. Lyra, being an avid reader herself, felt right at home. 

Finally, they came to Poe’s bedroom that seemingly hadn’t changed since his teenage years. There were posters of rebellion heroes and pilots on the walls as well as old models of ships, some of which, looked homemade. Poe’s bed, unlike the one he had on D’Qar was a single bed, bigger than hers on D’Qar, but small regardless. His room looked lived in, despite being empty for quite some time now. 

On his bedside table, was a photograph of him and his mother. Poe was just a toddler, no more than 3 and Shara’s arms were wrapped around him as they posed for the photo beneath her X-Wing, Potera. She was beautiful, with huge brown eyes just like Poe’s, and a smile that lit up the whole room, just like Poe’s did. 

As Lyra looked at the ship models, she remembered something and reached into her pocket, pulling out the small X-Wing model she had bought for him on Takodana. She had carried it with her at all times since buying it, wondering when the right moment to present him with it might be. As she showed it to him he smiled, taking it from her to inspect.

“What’s this?”

“I bought it for you a while ago. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you, but here, in your home feels like a good a time as any?”

He grinned as he traced his fingers over the wings softly. “Where did you get this?”

“Takodana. Right before the attack. I know it’s little and silly and hardly matches up to everything you have done for me but I just wanted to get you something.”

She felt Poe’s arms envelope her in a tight hug, she rest her head against his shoulder as they stood there for a minute, holding one another close.

“Thank you Lyra, it’s perfect” he whispered to her. 

The warm, soft skin of his cheek grazed against her temple as they stood like that for a few moments longer before Poe pulled away and placed the model X-Wing with the other models on his shelf, right in-front of everything else. 

Downstairs BB-8 beeped for them to come down and they made their way downstairs to the gardens where Kes had laid out lunch for them all. The outdoor dining table and chairs were not far from the waterfalls, and a gentle stream passed alongside the house, leading out to the jungles past the safety of the settlements. 

“I thought you said you weren’t used to peace and quiet Poe, there is nothing but peace around here” Lyra remarked as they sat down together.

“Poe spent most of his teenage years playing around the docks with the pilots and the other kids, wreaking havoc for everyone else” Kes smiled over at his son.

“Why do I find that not so hard to believe I wonder?”

Poe flicked a spoonful of salad at her playfully, causing her to nudge his shoulder affectionately as she laughed. 

Kes’ heart lifted, it had been a while since he had seen his son so happy. His own mind and the mind of his son’s had been so wrapped up in the war against the First Order for so long, he had forgotten it was even possible for Poe to find happiness in such troubling times. 

Lyra seemed to be the perfect balance for Poe. She didn’t distract him from the work he had sworn himself to since he was old enough to become a pilot, if anything they worked together for the same cause, but she provided him with something else to occupy himself with other than war, fighting and chaos. Shara would have been proud Poe had found someone like that. 

“So Lyra, I don’t mean to pry but you mentioned you were married to someone in the First Order, what happened to your marriage?”

“Dad!” Poe piped up. He knew Hux was still a delicate subject for Lyra to discuss. 

“It’s alright. Your father has a right to be curious. My husband is General Hux of the First Order. In truth, I don’t know what happens to our marriage now. We haven’t met for divorce talks, on account of me running away from him. Though, he did order my death, I would hazard a guess and say that means our marriage is well and truly over.”

Kes saw the sadness in her eyes as she admitted it. He could not imagine such a thing. He and Shara had been so happy together for years, it had taken death to separate them, nothing else would have done such a thing. Kes had seen spending the rest of their lives together, perhaps even seen brothers and sisters for Poe. But she had been taken from them too soon.

“I’m sorry Lyra. That’s a very difficult situation to be in, I can’t imagine how it feels” Kes said.

Poe’s hand went to Lyra’s back as he rested it there to comfort her.

“Nonsense, it was my choice to leave. You on the other hand, your wife was taken from you when you were still happy together, that must be the hardest thing in the world.”

Kes’ nodded solemnly as he took a bite of food. “Yes, losing Shara was hard on everyone who knew her, she was a force to be reckoned with.”

“How did you lose her? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“She got sick. The kind of sickness you don’t get better from. We tried looking for a cure, Leia did, Luke did. But there was nothing that could be done.”

She leaned into Poe, hoping talking of his mother wasn’t too painful for him. 

“I’m sorry there was nothing to be done to save her. She sounds like a wonderful woman, taken from you both far too soon.”

“Thank you Lyra, that means a lot” Kes said, managing a faint smile. 

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about Shara, as well as stories of Poe when he was a young boy. Kes even told Lyra of how he and Shara met and their subsequent relationship before her passing. It was heart-warming, to hear of a family so supportive of one another. Poe had been surrounded by such love growing up, it was easy for Lyra to understand how he had grown into such a kind man himself. 

Lyra insisted on feeding the family fathiers in the early evening, having missed being away from her own in Naboo. The gentle, giant creatures took an instant liking to her, even the most timid one, Bai. She managed to coax him over and feed him along with the others as Kes and Poe watched on from behind the paddock gate. 

“She’s good with animals, that’s nice. Always a good sign” Kes said to his son.

“She’s good with everything dad, everyone loves her on base, even BB-8 loves her, right buddy?”

The droid nodded his head eagerly. 

“Everyone? Including you?”

Poe shrugged. “I mean, it’s hard not to love her. She’s brave, she’s kind, she’s funny, she’s tried so hard to fit in with the rest of us and do everything to prove herself. She even learnt binary so she could talk to Beebee, I mean, who does that?”

Kes nodded. “Sounds like your pretty smitten with her.”

“I just, she’s just been so great you know. After the Black Squadron died down a little, I got so used to working alone, or just with Beebee, and then she came along and everything’s been, I don’t know, just, better.”

Kes watched as Bai nudged Lyra for more food and she chuckled softly, reaching out to stroke his nose.

“Well, don’t think I haven’t noticed your mother’s ring around her neck. You must be serious about this girl.”

Poe crossed his arms. “It’s tough, she’s been through a lot, with the First Order and her husband, I don’t know if she’s ready for a relationship yet, but it’s not like there’s anyone else I’d rather hold out hope for right now so, here we are.”

Kes smiled. “Poe Dameron showing patience and restraint? Wow, you really do like this girl. Well, give her time son, she likes you, it’s not hard to see. She probably just needs time to process everything.”

Poe nodded. “Pretty much what Leia said too.”

“Well, the General is a wise woman, I would listen to every bit of advice she has for you. Listen, I’ve invited some of the neighbours over tonight for a little fireside gathering in honour of you coming to visit, finally. Why don’t you and Lyra join in, stay the night and then you can make your way back to D’Qar tomorrow alright?”

Poe nodded. “Ok dad, sounds good.”

XXX

When the sun finally set on Yavin it was a wonderful sight. The sky had gone from a beautiful clear blue with lines of purple to a deep orange red. The moon hung low and huge as the neighbours of Kes Dameron gathered around in the garden by a campfire to spend time with the youngest member of the Dameron family. 

Most of the neighbours had known Poe since he was a baby. Some of the residents Poe’s age had grown up with him and played with him as a child, though most of the residents in his age range were either serving for the Resistance or had died in battle already. Poe introduced Lyra to them all before they all sat around a fire and talked of times passed, as well as the unfortunate souls who had lost their lives along the way.

“Poe, you mentioned losing someone named L’ulo, who was that?” Lyra asked as they sat close together, warming themselves by the fire.

“L’ulo was like an uncle to me. He served alongside mom and dad in the battle on Endor. He served with me in the Black Squadron and sacrificed himself to save innocent lives during a battle against Agent Terex, the First Order agent I told you about. He was a good man, the first big loss I ever felt, other than mom.”

The small group of residents nodded, remembering L’ulo as well.

“He always was putting himself ahead of others. He vowed to keep an eye on Poe after Shara passed. We all used to be neighbours, he would keep me up to date on Poe’s whereabouts when my son was too busy to check in” Kes smiled. 

“If L’ulo was to go out in any way, going out to save others would have been the only way he would have gone” Poe said quietly. 

Lyra took his hand as she smiled over at him. “I’m sure he would have been immensely proud of the man you are today Poe.”

As the group sat and reminisced over times passed and got to know Lyra better she felt more and more at home. For once in her life, she felt like she was surrounded by family, all they needed was Rey, Finn and Leia and it really would feel like Lyra had finally found the family she had been missing most of her life. 

As Poe got caught up in conversation with one of the neighbours, Kes made his way to her side. 

“Are you alright Lyra, you look like your galaxies away?”

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry. I just, I never had much of a family growing up and now I feel like I finally might be onto something here, with your son.”

“He cares about you a lot. You know, you’re the first person he’s ever brought home to meet me?”

Lyra widened her eyes as she looked at him. “No, I can’t be.”

He laughed gently. “It’s true, I’ve never seen him like this. He’s happy. I’ve never seen him this happy. After Shara passed and he threw himself into working for the Resistance, I worried he would never find true peace and happiness. Working for Leia is his calling but war doesn’t last forever. I always worried he wouldn’t know what to do when it was all over. I think with you, he sees a future.”

She nodded slowly. “I care for your son greatly. More than I thought capable. He has believed in me since the moment he met me, more than anyone ever has and I can never repay him for such kindness.”

“I can see you’re torn Lyra. I don’t think Poe would ever pressure you into making any decision, nor would I for that matter, but I just thought it was worth saying, that I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. I can’t thank you enough for making my son happy. It’s all any parent wants for their child.”

“Loving your son has come naturally to me. By the stars, I can’t believe I just said that. Would you excuse me for a moment, I just need to gather myself for moment.”

Lyra stood up, leaving the campfire. There was a small hillside by one of the waterfalls and she climbed up it, needing a moment alone. There was a single, solitary tree at the top of the hill that seemed almost as if it was glowing slightly in the dim light of the evening sky. As Lyra closed her eyes, she felt it draw her nearer and she concentrated on the tree. It was as if she could hear soft whispers coming from it, but could not decipher the voices, or what the whispers were saying. 

Drawing closer and closer to it, she placed her hand on the tree and suddenly, visions ran through her head.

She saw flickers of things. Of her and Poe kissing, of Armitage holding her tightly. She saw visions of a snow-covered planet and speeders and of Snoke, using the force against her. Making her scream in agony. She saw herself, fighting against the Supreme Leader, refusing to bend to his will. She saw herself running towards Poe, and of Leia floating in space. Then she heard a woman’s voice, soft and gentle.

“It’s alright Lyra, everything will become clear soon enough.”

There were more sounds invading her head, of lightsabers clashing and people shouting, her own laugh, the voices of Rey and Finn, Poe calling out her name and then the sounds of crashing.

She opened her eyes, suddenly overwhelmed by it all and stepped back away from the tree with a loud gasp.

“Lyra, are you ok?”

The woman turned to see Poe stood behind her, his hand on her back protectively. 

“Yes, I’m fine, I think. That tree, what is it?”

“It’s a force sensitive tree. Luke gifted it to my mom and dad after the battle on Endor. Why, did you see something?”

She stared up at him. “I’m not sure, I don’t know what I just saw. I can’t make sense of it.”

Poe tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as he ran his hand up her arm slowly. “You know they say these kinds of trees can only speak to those who are force sensitive. Some say they can grant visions of the future, others say they can communicate the spirits of the dead through them. I always hoped one day I might hear my mom talk to me through it but, no such luck.”

Lyra frowned, the woman’s voice, maybe that was Shara’s voice speaking to her from beyond the living realm, though it seemed cruel she could communicate with Lyra and not her own son. 

“Luke gave this to your family as a gift?”

Poe nodded.

“Wow, what an honour.”

“Sure was. Lyra are you ok? I saw you talking to my dad and then you just left, is everything alright?”

She gazed up at him, he was so handsome, just stood there, worried for her, caring for her. Suddenly, the denial of her feelings for him the past couple of months became all too much to bear. She had to be honest now, it felt right.

She took his hands in her own as she turned to face him properly.

“Poe, remember the other night, when I asked you if you could go back to any point in your life, what would it be?”

He nodded. 

“I said I would go back to the day I saw you being taken as a prisoner on the Finalizer. That’s still true, I would give anything to spare you that hurt. But there was another day I would go back to. That day in the cave, in Felucia. If I could, I would go back to that day, and when you kissed me, I wouldn’t have pulled away. I have relived that kiss every day since it happened. I wish I hadn’t have denied you, because you have come to be the one person in this entire galaxy I feel certain about.”

Poe swallowed as he stared down at her. Leia had told him not to kiss her again, not unless Lyra initiated it but looking at her now in that dress, on his home planet, admitting what she had just admitted, it took everything in him not to kiss her.

“You umm, you would go back to that day? That’s um, that’s pretty interesting. Listen, Lyra, I don’t want to pressure you or anything…”

Her lips drew closer to his until finally, they met, and a force passed through him, the same force that passed through him that day in Felucia. His hands went to her neck as he kissed her back, drawing a gentle moan from her lips as her hands went to his chest, pulling him closer to her. 

They didn’t care if anyone could see, right then, in that single moment, all that existed was the two of them. 

Poe’s tongue found its way into her open mouth and once more he took charge, deepening the kiss. 

They stayed like that, joined at the lips for what felt like minutes, Poe’s hands finding his way into her hair, nibbling her bottom lip until she surrendered and allowed his tongue to dance across her own. They eventually stopped only to catch their breath, and when their lips were both swollen from kissing so fiercely. They rest their foreheads against each other’s as Poe managed a small laugh.

“Do you regret that kiss?”

“No, not even a second of it.” 

He kissed her again, pulling her down to the ground to lie on the hilltop together as they lay facing one another, staring into each other’s eyes. 

“I’m sorry” she whispered.

“Sorry for what? That was the greatest kiss of my entire life, well, other than the one on Felucia that is.”

She reached out to rest a hand on his chest gently. 

“Sorry for not doing it sooner.”

“Don’t be sorry for that. You have a lot going on right now, I understand. Although I can’t pretend I’m not insanely happy right now at the idea of you finally relenting and admitting you have the hots for me.”

She raised an eyebrow at him before scoffing. “There it is, that trademark Poe Dameron sass I’ve come to love so much. Anyway, who says I have the hots for you, I just kissed you, didn’t say anything about liking you. Maybe it’s just the pretty sunset that has me acting strangely, or the drinks your father has been handing us all night?”

Poe leaned over her, smirking down at her as he played with her hair.

“Oh yeah? So if I offer to kiss you again, are you gonna say no?”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

He leaned down so his lips were a centimetre away from hers and she could feel his warm breath against her face. She couldn’t help herself and leaned up to meet his lips again as he kissed her.

“Knew it” he said when they parted lips once more. “You have it bad for me.”

She rolled her eyes before grinning at the lazy, cocky smile on his face as he lay back.

“We should head back, before your father starts to worry.”

Poe was on his feet in an instant, reaching his hand down to help her up.

They held hands as they returned to the campfire, sitting down again next to each other as Kes Dameron shot them a knowing look. When his son caught his eye, he winked. Truly, there was nothing better than seeing his only child happy and well.

They sat and talked into the late hours of the night, as one by one, the neighbours returned to their homes, leaving Kes with Poe and Lyra.

“Alright you two, I’m turning in for the night as well. Don’t stay up too late, I don’t want an angry call from General Leia cos you two were both too tired to complete a mission well enough for her standards.”

He bid them both goodnight, leaving the two of them alone to talk by the fireside.

“So, what now?”

Poe’s arm came around her, pulling her close to his side.

“What do you mean?”

“Well” Poe said. “Are you ready for everyone chipping in and telling us they told us so, and finally, and by the stars now we can stop watching you guys dance around the subject of liking one another? Those kinds of comments?”

Lyra smiled. “I hadn’t thought about it really. I think, perhaps, we should keep things quiet for now, so nobody thinks I’m bragging favours from the galaxies greatest pilot just because I’m his..... whatever I am to you.”

“Biggest fan?”

She hit his chest playfully. “You wish Dameron. If anything, you have practically been falling at my feet the second you met me.”

“Oh, I see, alright sweetheart, you keep telling yourself that. I think you’re right though. I can’t stand to see Jess’ smug little face when we tell her just yet.”

She kissed his shoulder softly before yawning. Poe grinned as he stood up and suddenly scooped her into his arms bridal style, causing BB-8, who had patiently been sitting by Poe’s side to hum excitedly. 

“Alright sleepyhead let’s turn in for the night.”

“Where are we sleeping?”

“My bed, why?”

“Both of us in that little bed, really?”

“We’ll fit. I’m a cuddler anyway.”

She grinned up at him as he carried her into the house, leading her upstairs and placing her on his bed gently.

“I don’t have anything to sleep in” she commented.

He raised an eyebrow as he tugged his shirt off over his head. “You could always sleep naked.”

She wagged a finger at him. “A couple of kisses and an admission of feelings and you think everything is up for grabs in one single night. I don’t play that easy Dameron, you’re going to have to work harder for that.”

He went through his wardrobe before throwing her an oversized shirt.

“Oh don’t worry sweetheart, it won’t take long at all to have you at my mercy. But you can put that on if you wanna pretend a little longer that you have control.”

He turned away at her request as she threw her dress off and put on his oversized shirt instead before climbing under his bedcovers and watching as he stripped down to his underwear.

Her breath caught in her chest as she saw his toned chest once more, just like it had done when she saw that same sight back on Felucia.

He noted her reaction to him in a state of undress and gave her another smirk, obviously revelling in every moment of attention he got from her.

As he climbed into bed with her he scooted close, hooking an arm under her neck and the other across her waist as he pulled her close to him and kissed her once more, slipping his tongue into her mouth and rendering her weak to his charms once again. He leaned across her, moving his lips to her neck as she gripped his arm. Her other hand went to his chest as his tongue trailed lazily across her collarbone.

She bit her lip in an effort to bite back another moan and her hand trailed along his chest, down, further to his stomach and then further until...

He took her hands in his own and held them above her head. “Oh no, that’s not how this goes. When I take you, I want you in my bed on D’Qar where I have the space to explore and ravish you properly. I want the whole base to hear you cry out.”

She couldn’t help but gasp, and ran her tongue along her own lip to ease the sudden dryness of her mouth. Of course, he was as charming when he spoke about his talents in the bedroom as he was with every other aspect of his life. It figured.

“You are an awful tease Poe Dameron, and here I was thinking you were practically desperate for me” she whispered.

“Oh trust me, I am. I just want to do you the right way.”

She shivered against him as he whispered the words in her ear before running his tongue along the shell of her left ear gently.

Before she could protest he moved her so that she lay on her side before cuddling so tightly into her, she could feel every part of him against her body.

“Clearly this is as, hard for you as it is for me” she whispered with a chuckle.

“Oh sweetheart, you have no idea.”


	21. I Am Yours As You Are Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So who’s excited about the latest development in the story?! I wanted Poe and Lyra’s relationship to develop a little before delving into them getting together. To all my Hux fans…. Don’t think I’ve forgotten him, not at all. Not even close, he’s still itching to be reunited with his wife after all. Just a head’s up, this chapter has an M rating. Ya’ll know I always deliver ;)

Lyra woke up the next morning tangled up in Poe’s arms. One arm had snaked its way under her head so she rested on it as her own fingertips had reached up to entwine their way through his. His other arm had found its way over her waist and held her to him with his palm spread out across her stomach. If it was anybody else, she would have felt embarrassed having someone touch her stomach so intimately, especially after she knew she had gained weight since joining the Resistance, but with Poe, she felt utterly at ease.

When she released a slow, long yawn, Poe must have sensed her waking up as he quickly hooked one of his legs around her to pull her even closer and began to kiss her neck softly. Lyra brought her free arm up to his cheek as she reached her head back to meet his lips with her own. He made a small, fed up noise, as if he was doing everything in his power to resist waking up.

“Good morning” she whispered to him as she pulled away from his lazy kiss.

“Mmph, not yet” he mumbled back to her, sliding his hand down the side of her body slowly.

“Are you really still tired?”

Poe mumbled incoherently, insisting on pulling her close to him. “Can’t we just stay here? I don’t think I ever want to be anywhere but by your side again” he told her quietly.

She turned to face him, moving in to kiss his lips once more as she ran her hand over his stubbled cheek softly. “As heart-warming as that is, and truly, it is. We need to move at some point and besides, I’m hungry.”

Poe smiled lazily, his eyes still half-closed as he continued to run his hands over her body. “I’m hungry too, but I know exactly what I want to eat” he grinned as he ran his hands over her hips suggestively, groping her backside as his hands trailed along her body.

The move caused Lyra to giggle into his mouth as she silenced him with a kiss before pulling away from him.

“Your father is in this very house, you don’t really want our first time together to be in your parents home do you? Once we are back on D’Qar, we will have our own space again….”

Lyra didn’t think she had ever seen him move so fast. He practically threw on his clothes before throwing a set of his clothes for her to change into straight after. After they were both ready, he took her hand and led her downstairs where BB-8 greeted them excitedly. 

Lyra could have sworn BB-8 was as excited to see her and Poe together as Poe was. It was comforting, to know that Poe’s closest companion approved of her spending so much time with his master. 

As Lyra made some tea, Poe came up behind her, circling his hands around her waist before kissing her neck. She giggled against him until a loud cough alerted them to another presence in the room.

They turned to see Kes stood against the doorframe, arms crossed as he shot them a knowing smirk, not unlike the one’s Leia would so often give them.

“Did I miss something last night?”

Poe grinned as he kissed Lyra’s head softly. “Not much, Just Lyra finally admitting her feelings for me and now we are dating.”

BB-8 rolled around them as he beeped his congratulations to them.

“Apparently, I am the last to know we are now dating but yes, it’s true. I care for your son deeply and your blessing would mean the world to me, as I’m sure it would to Poe as well” Lyra finished.

Kes stepped forward as he surveyed the two young rebels. “You both have my blessing. Seeing my son this happy is all I could ask for. I only wish Shara was here to witness it too.”

The eldest Dameron clasped a hand on Poe’s shoulder lovingly. “I’m proud of you son, coming out of the fights in this world with more than just war stories is all your mother and I ever wanted for you. I’m glad you’ve found someone. Lyra, I’m glad you came to visit with my son. It’s been wonderful meeting you.” 

The young woman smiled as she wrapped her arms around Poe’s father in a tight hug. “Thank you for letting me stay. It’s been wonderful meeting you too.”

The three of them enjoyed breakfast together before Poe, Lyra and BB-8 bid their goodbyes to Kes and made their way back to Poe’s X-Wing at the docks. 

There was a hint of sadness in Poe’s eyes as they got on-board the X-Wing. Lyra knew he didn’t get to visit home as often as he might have liked to. Quality time with family was something hard to come by during a war, and with Poe always being so busy completing missions for Leia, he had less time than most to spend with loved ones. 

“We’ll be back soon, I’m sure of it. Once this war is over” she whispered to him as he took off back to D’Qar. He nodded sadly in agreement, though it was clear he was upset. 

Sometime during the journey back, Poe’s hand crept up Lyra’s stomach as he leaned forward to kiss her ear gently. “You know, I could just take you here, it’s quiet, we’re alone. Nobody could hear you scream” he whispered along the shell of her ear, making her shiver.

“B could hear us, it would be like doing it when a pet is in the room. Besides, you said you wanted the space for us.”

Poe breathed against her neck as he felt her shiver again. “You’re right, I do. I just can’t wait to touch you, taste you, have you begging for more.”

She ran her hand along his leg as she looked back at him. “What makes you think I’ll be the one begging? I could have you a quivering, sweaty mess before my mouth even got to your hipline Dameron.”

This time it was Poe’s turn to shiver. He bit his lip as he tried to retrain himself from having his way with her in that same moment. “Are you sure I can’t have you right now in this ship?”

She tutted at him. “Poe Dameron, you are a military man. You of all people, should know how to show a little restraint.”

“Around you, that’s hopeless.”

The journey back to D’Qar was painfully slow, or at least it seemed that way. Matters were only made worse by the fact that they were bombarded with members of the Resistance wanting to catch up with them as soon as they touched down on base. Despite only being new to the whole behaving like a couple for a day, it now felt strange to them both to have to walk around base not holding hands and resisting the urge to kiss one another whenever they felt like it, which was now very often. They became acutely aware of how close they were normally, and how blurred the lines were between acting like a couple and acting as two people with intense chemistry and feelings for one another. 

Soon enough, the morning slipped into the afternoon and then, the afternoon slipped into early evening. As Poe got talking to Jess Pava about something pilot related, Leia noticed Lyra’s lingering gaze on him. She also noticed Poe reaching out his fingers to her behind his back when he believed nobody else was looking. 

“Lyra, can I have a word please?”

Lyra’s head snapped to the General as Poe retracted his fingers. As he continued his conversation with Jess and some other members of the Resistance, Lyra went to Leia, suddenly worried she had done something wrong.

“General Leia, how are you?”

“I’m fine, how are you? I trust your trip to Yavin was nice.”

Lyra blushed as she smiled. “Yes General, it was most, enlightening, and lovely to meet Poe’s family and friends from home of course.”

The General nodded as she crossed her arms. “Enlightening you say? Meaning, you had time to figure some things out?”

“Yes General, I had the time to figure a lot out.”

“Mmhmm. Given that you and Poe are looking at each other like a pair of lovesick porgs I’m assuming you are both together now?”

Lyra stepped closer to the General as her eyes widened. “How did you know? Is it, are we that obvious?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “You could barely keep your eyes off each other when you weren’t together and now it’s like that’s all you can look at. Besides, I know my commander enough to know he’s not one for taking people back home with him or reaching out to touch them at every opportunity he gets.”

“We are keeping things quiet for now. We don’t want people thinking we are distracted from work now.”

“Understandable. Though for what it’s worth, I’m relieved you are finally doing something about this undeniable bond between you both. It reminds me of Han and I when we were younger, you know, when I wasn’t busy pretending to hate him.”

Lyra smiled at the General before glancing back at Poe, who was stealing as many glances over to her as he could.

“General, do you think I’m making the right choice, being with Poe?”

“I think you have waited to see if whatever it is between you and Poe is a phase and evidently, it’s not. I think you have torn yourself up over a man who perhaps wasn’t the one for you when you thought he was and now, I think, you have found something that’s right for you. That something, or someone rather, is Poe. So yes, if you want my honest, not entirely professional opinion, I think you are making the right choice, by choosing to be with Poe. Life is too short to not make the choices that make you happy Lyra.”

The young Resistance member breathed out a sigh of relief. Being with Poe felt right to her but she would be lying if she said getting the approval of the General didn’t mean a lot to her. Leia’s opinion meant a lot to her, and knowing others believed her and Poe were a good match together was a great comfort to her. 

“Thank you General, that means so much to me. Could you, would you mind keeping this our little secret though, just for now?”

The General nodded and nodded her head towards Poe, indicating Lyra should go to him. When she re-joined the group, she grabbed some food for her and Poe and joined in on their conversations. Much like the flight back to D’Qar, dinner seemed endless too, and it felt like a lifetime until the group left Poe and Lyra to their own devices once more. 

“Is Leia Alright?”

“Oh, yes, she’s good, she knows about us though.”

Poe swallowed his bite of food nervously. “Kriff.”

“No it’s ok. She’s happy for us, and she’ll keep it between us, until we decide to not keep it private anymore.”

Poe nodded. “So I persuaded one of our mechanics to look after Beebee tonight, make sure his systems are all ok. Which means I have you all to myself.”

Lyra couldn’t help but blush as Poe spoke. Even now, after that amount of time together, he still made her blush.

“I can’t believe I can still make you blush, it’s so cute.”

Lyra stuck her tongue out at him before taking another bite of food.

“You know Lyra, I don’t want to rush you into anything. We don’t, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, I’m not expecting anything.”

She frowned. “No, I want you, unless, you wanted to wait?”

Poe shook his head. “Are you crazy? I’ve been waiting weeks to be with you, I just know you have been through a lot, you are still going through a lot and I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

Lyra smiled over at him. Even now, when he was desperate for her, he was considerate of her feelings first.

“No, I can’t wait around and let the one person who makes me truly happy slip by through my fingers. I want this. I want you.”

He nodded his head once as he stared at her. “Well, that’s good. Cos sweetheart, when I’m done with you, it’s not just your cheeks that are gonna gather some colour. Your whole body is gonna flush.”

She smirked over at him. “Big talk, Dameron.”

He ran his tongue over his lower lip. “I can back it up sweetheart, just watch me.”

They spent the rest of dinner like that, shamelessly flirting before finally, they returned to Poe’s room for the night.

As he locked the door behind him, he turned back to Lyra, moving her hair to one side as he kissed up her neck, running his hands along the sides of her body slowly. She moaned as his tongue darted out to lick the soft, sensitive flesh of her neck painfully slowly, causing her to moan at his efforts to seduce her. She reached a hand up and laced it through his thick hair, drawing his face close to hers so she could kiss his mouth. His hands trailed up to her clothed breasts, running his fingertips over them gently as she dipped her tongue so it ran along his own.

She turned to face him as their kisses deepened and Poe’s hands went to the backs of her thighs as he hoisted her up, causing her to hook her legs around his waist as he lowered them both to his bed. She wasted no time in pulling his shirt over his head, making him grin down at her.

“Eager, aren’t we?”

“You aren’t the one who’s been torturing yourself over your feelings for weeks. Now I feel like I’m finally allowing myself to have what I want.”

He smiled as she ran her hands along his chest slowly, moving her head up to kiss his shoulder.

“And what is it that you want exactly?”

Her fingers traced absentmindedly over his tanned stomach.

“You. In every way possible.”

He began to unbutton her shirt as he kissed her.

“Then who am I to deny you that? Just do me one favour?”

“Anything” she breathed against him, fighting every instinct in her body that begged her to kiss him while she allowed him to speak.

“Just for tonight, let me spoil you. It’s what I’ve wanted to do since that kiss in Felucia and I can’t wait any longer.”

She nodded as his lips latched onto her neck once more. “Who am I to deny you that?”

He worked her out of her shirt, or rather, his shirt before trailing his lips down her collarbone, her chest, and then her stomach before nipping on the soft flesh of her exposed hipbones, causing her to gasp. He reached down to her pants and hooked his fingers into the waistband, watching her lift her hips up slightly to allow him the room he needed to slide them off her. 

Poe kissed the tops of her knees as he lay in-between her legs, leaning down to take her bra off. She instinctly reached up to cover herself before the Pilot stroked her hands before moving them away.

“You don’t have to hide from me Lyra, I think you’re beautiful. I want to see you.”

His fingertips ghosted the valley between her breasts slowly before he reached down to take one of her nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the sensitive flesh as it hardened under his attentions. His other hand kneaded her other breast gently as she arched up into his touch, moaning as he moved his mouth to her other breast. It had felt like a lifetime since she had been touched intimately and Poe was very, very talented at what he was doing.

As he kissed her breasts one hand trailed down to her underwear and he palmed her mound, smiling as he saw her sharp intake of breath at the contact. He slid his hand inside her underwear and ran a finger along her slick sex languidly.

“You’re so wet. Is this all for me?”

Lyra’s hands found Poe’s back as she dug her nails in gently as he teased along her slit.

“By the stars, Poe, you know it’s all for you.”

His thumb trailed along her clit faintly, barely touching it. “I’m gonna have you seeing stars soon enough.”

Before she could protest against his teasing, he reached down and slid her underwear off, leaving her completely naked before him.

He leaned up as his eyes stared down at her entire body shamelessly.

“You are so beautiful Lyra, the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my whole, entire life.”

Three words tiptoed around her head, they danced on the edge of her tongue, but through fear of rejection, she reached up to lose the words in a kiss instead, sliding her tongue against his own as he captured her head in his hands and kissed her back as though his life depended on it.

As he pushed her gently to lay back on the bed, he moved his lips to her ear as he took one of her hands in his own.

“Just relax now” he whispered as he kissed his way down her body, from her clavicle, down to her shoulders, her chest, her breasts, her stomach, her hip bones and then the inside of her thighs. He nipped the soft flesh of her thighs with his teeth as he looked up at her.

“Lyra, look at me” he whispered to her as he hooked her legs over his shoulders and waited for her eyes to meet his own.

When she looked down at him, eyes pleading as she bit her lip in anticipation, he smirked at her, his own eyes hooded in lust, before leaning down to run his tongue along her wet, warm slit. They locked eyes as Poe began to circle his tongue around her little pearl expertly, his arms hooked around her thighs as he spread her legs to welcome him.

As he sucked the sensitive little bud between his lips, Lyra threw her head back as she moaned loudly and her hands went to his hair, gripping it as he alternated between lapping at her clit and sucking it softly. With her free hand, she reached down to entwine her fingers through one of Poe’s hands, wanting to be as close to him as she could be.

He moved his head down slightly as he dipped his tongue into her slit, causing her to moan out again, much to Poe’s delight. As her fingers pulled at his hair softly his mouth returned to her small bud once more, flicking it gently as her climax began to build. He released her hand to trail his fingertips down her hips and placed a finger inside of her, thrusting it softly inside of her as his tongue worked against her clit.

Her soft moans and quickness of breath alerted him to the fact that she was close and he sped up his movements, wanting her to come undone against his mouth.

Finally, after a few short moments, her grip on his hair tightened and she cried out as her climax hit her. It was hard and unrelenting, like a wave hitting against a wall, and Poe felt it against his own lips. He lapped up her release, like a man starved of water in a desert before kissing up her thighs as she came down from her high.

Lyra watched him rise up from her thighs and lean in closer to her. His hair was dishevelled, his eyes were still glazed over with lust and his mouth and jawline were coated in her release, it was perhaps the most glorious sight she had ever seen. She kissed him softly, tasting herself on him.

“Told you I could have you seeing stars” he whispered, taking note of her panting.

“And now it’s your turn” she finished, twisting around so she could push him down and tug the rest of his clothes off.  
Lyra took a moment to appreciate his naked body. He was stockier than Armitage ever was, and his beautiful olive skin was a sight to behold itself. Lyra moved to sit on him, feeling his thick, hard member between her legs.

She took note of his expression, the furrowing of his brow as he tried so hard to stare up at her eyes instead of allowing his gaze to wonder down to her sex.

She smiled down at him as she ran her fingernails along his stomach and chest gently, allowing her wet sex to slide over his member. He let out a soft moan as she did so just as she captured his lips in another searing hot kiss. His hands went to her hips as she pulled away, rearranging herself to sit up and slide back onto his shaft until he was fully inside her. They both let out a cry of relief at finally joining together.

Poe’s hands gripped her hips tighter as she began to roll them against him, pulling him into her as much as possible.

He tried to push his hips up against her but Lyra was quick to place her hands on his chest, pushing him down as she took control, all the while, rolling her hips against him slowly. He bit his lip as he failed to hold back another moan. Watching her ride him that way was bringing him closer to his own release quicker than he anticipated.

In an effort to regain control, he moved his hand so his thumb rubbed up against her clit again, causing her to throw her head back in pleasure.

“Is this what you want Lyra huh? To have me touching you, to have me inside of you?”

She nodded but as she tried to speak out in agreement, all that left her mouth were moans and sighs of pleasure.

“Show me where to touch you sweetheart, show me what you like” he said in a hoarse whisper.  
She guided his thumb to a particular angle on her clit and then cried out as he rubbed it, bringing her dangerously close to her second climax.

“There? Right there” he panted as she sped up the movements of her hips.

Her legs began to tremble around him as he brought her to release once more, and as she came, he flipped her over so he was on top, lifting one of her legs to push deep inside of her.

Her nails ran along his arms as he held himself above her, thrusting into her at a rhythm that seemed to be perfect for them both. He licked up along her collarbone and neck, where tiny beads of sweat had begun to form, relishing the taste of her in every way.  
As he increased the pace, she used her free leg to hook around his waist as her hands went to his backside, clawing at him desperately when words failed them.

Poe looked into her eyes as his own release was in sight. She held his gaze, stroking his cheek gently as she bit back a cry of pleasure as he stroked against her inner walls.

“Lyra...”

“It’s alright, let go Poe” she breathed against his neck, biting the flesh there lightly.  
That seemed to send him over the edge. One arm went to her hair, gripping it as he let out a loud cry as he pulled out just as his climax hit, falling on Lyra’s hips and stomach.

He stay inside her for a few moments as they tried to catch their breath and return down from their highs. When Poe had enough strength, he cleaned himself off of her and moved to lay by her side, holding out his arm so she could settle in the crook between his arm and neck.

A comfortable silence hung between them as she traced light circles over his stomach and he kissed her head.

“That was, I can’t even put into words how perfect that was” she whispered quietly against him.

“That, was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my whole life, in the best way possible.”

She looked up at him, his eyes still glazed over in lust. “Truly? I was always a little worried I might be, inadequate, what with me only ever being with one other person.”

He frowned. “How could you think that? No, Lyra that was, more than perfect. That was, well, let me just say I don’t think anything will ever be the same after that. Anything after that would be like going from a 10-bedroom mansion in Yavin to, a hovel in Tatooine.”

She laughed. “Interesting comparison, but yes, I agree.”

He stared at her smile for a moment, realising he might just be the happiest man in the entire galaxy.

“Stars you’re beautiful” he breathed.

She leaned up on her elbows and scooted up closer to his face. “Not so bad yourself Dameron, especially when you cum. Your face is like something out of an oil painting.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s the first time I’ve heard that compliment, I’ll take it.”

She grinned before trapping his lips in another kiss, his lips still tasting faintly of her.

“It’s true, I would risk sneaking through the Finalizer all over again just to see that face.”

He frowned. “Don’t say that. I wouldn’t have you risk that for me. You never have to be in that place ever again. Not for anybody.”

“But I would, for you, I would take the risk.”

He placed a gentle kiss on her arm.

“I know what I’m fighting for in this war now?”

“What’s that?” She asked.

He twirled a finger through her hair gently.

“A world that’s safe for you. A world where we can walk free together. A world where I can come home to Yavin and see you laying there in our room, smiling up at me.”

Lyra smiled down at him, lacing her fingers through his as she leaned closer to place a gentle kiss on his nose.

“I’ve never noticed before, you have freckles on your nose.”

Poe wrinkled his nose. “You never noticed them before?”

She shook her head. “I thought if I stared at you for too long I might be too far gone to ever look away at anything else in my life.”

He chuckled. “And now?”

She ran her thumb along his jawline slowly. “Now? Now I don’t care if that’s the case.”

His fingers came to rest on a spot below her hip, just on the side of her rear where a little mole sat. “Well, I never noticed this little spot here.”

“When would you have seen that spot anyway, with me wearing your clothes all the time?”

“In the cave, in Felucia, when you were just wearing your underwear. Couldn’t stop staring. I couldn’t stop imagining what I would do to you, if you let me. And now, now this little spot, I’m gonna kiss it until you tell me to stop.”

Poe shimmied forward and leaned back behind her to place a soft kiss on the spot, making her giggle. His lips lingered there a while as he peppered her hipbone with soft, gentle kisses before he returned to lay next to her, allowing her to lie back in the crook of his arm. 

Lyra yawned and Poe grinned as he moved to lean over her once more.

“You aren’t calling time on tonight yet are you? I’ve got plans for us still, long, languid plans.”

She smirked as she felt him harden against her once more.

“Well, I was planning on sleeping but now something else might have taken my interest” she whispered against him as he pulled her into another kiss.

He took her another 3 times that night until eventually exhaustion took them both and they fell asleep, nestled into each other’s arms.


	22. Someone To Live For

When Lyra woke the next morning, she felt warm. Warmer than usual and looking down, she saw Poe was still clinging to her, spooning her as he held her close. She sighed a deep sigh before turning her body to face him only to see his eyes were already open.

“Hey” he whispered, stroking her jawline softly as his eyes roamed her naked body that was only half covered by the bedsheets.

“Hey back” she said quietly. 

Her fingertips met his as she looked down, as if distracted by something.

“Is everything ok? You feeling any regrets?”

Her gaze snapped up to his and she shook her head almost too enthusiastically. “No, not at all. I was just thinking about how much things can change is all. How different everything is now. Everything feels, better now.”

Poe nodded, breathing a sigh of relief at her admission. If truth be told, everything felt so perfect to him he half expected her to turn to him and tell him the last two days had been a mistake and she was returning to Armitage.

“Yeah it is. It’s perfect, you look so beautiful in the morning.”

She laughed gently. “Even with my messed up hair and morning breath?”

Poe tickled her sides as he caught her mouth in a lazy kiss. “Especially with those things.”

She laughed against his lips as he kissed her, growling against her as he pulled her closer.  
“Well, as much as you may love those things, I’m going to take a shower, care to join me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Can Felucian birds fly? Damn right I wanna join you” he exclaimed, jumping out of bed and pulling her with him as he did so to move to the shower.

They made love once more in the shower before getting ready and leaving for the cantina.  
As they walked to the cantina, Lyra stumbled slightly, causing Poe to chuckle as he held his arm out to stop her from falling.

“Well, look at that, one night with me and you can barely walk. Figures.”

She rolled her eyes as she grinned back at him. “Put that cockiness on a leash Poe, we are about to walk into a busy room with other people remember?”

Poe gestured to his mouth as he motioned zipping it shut and throwing away a key.

It was strange, having to actively avoid being too close to one another now. A part of Lyra regretted even suggesting they even kept things private. She wondered if Poe was coming to regret that decision too, especially as they sat down with Poe’s old squadron and Finn. They were good friends. They deserved to know the truth. 

She thought to herself, that people might already know. That they certainly all knew Poe well enough to spot a change in him, to spot the sudden elation in his mood, but then, she supposed he had behaved that way around her for quite some time now. 

As they sat and recalled the battle on Starkiller, Poe’s hand came to rest on her inner thigh gently, stroking the soft flesh there as he focused on Snap’s retelling of the squadron’s attack against the First Order base. Lyra’s own hand dropped to rest on his own as they sat and spoke with their friends. It was only when General Leia summoned them to her office did they separate, jumping slightly as she called them to her office. 

The General’s office seemed different somehow. For a start, she had put more photos of her and Han up, which made Lyra feel even more sympathy for Leia, it also made her feel blessed to have Poe by her side, alive and well. 

Her office seemed more lived in as well, it was almost as if she hadn’t left it at all since losing Han. At least Lyra wasn’t the only one who dealt with hurt by throwing herself into work, between Leia and Poe, she was in good company.

“I need favours to ask from both of you” Leia said as she sat at her desk.

They both nodded.

“Poe, I need you to intercept a convoy for me. It’s a small convoy carrying what we believe may be weapons for the First Order. No warships, no dreadnoughts, just a few TIE fighters and a carrier ship. Lyra, I need you with me today, my technicians need help decoding some messages from First Order officers and I think you might be the best one for the job. We aren’t sure these messages are of any importance but, better to be safe than sorry.”

Lyra frowned. “General Leia, with your permission, I would prefer to go escort Poe on this mission, I can decode the messages afterwards, but I would feel better knowing I can cover his back.”

“No. I need you both to prove to me you can work apart. That you are just as effective while in a relationship as you were to me before. Besides, Poe has a whole squadron of talented pilots who can cover his back.”

It was the first time Lyra had ever disagreed with Leia, but she knew she was right. She had worked so hard to prove herself to the Resistance, she didn’t want her newfound relationship with Poe to jeopardise all that. However learning to separate herself from her personal relationship with him to her professional relationship with him would be hard. 

“Fine General, just tell me where to be and I’ll help” Lyra reluctantly replied.

“Good, the comms room in half an hour. Poe, inform your team and leave as soon as possible” Leia replied before dismissing them. 

In the hallway on the way to the comms room, Poe could see Lyra was worried. In fairness to her, the last time they had separated was in the attack on Starkiller, and that ended with bad results on Lyra’s part, physically wise anyway. Poe had to admit, that day had frightened him more than he could have imagined too. Watching her ship go down, thinking the worst had happened to her. It had been the worst moment in his entire life, other than his mother’s death.

“Hey, you ok?” he asked, nudging her softly.

“I’m fine.” She didn’t look up at him.

“No you’re not, here, come on” he replied, taking her hand and pulling her into an empty corner.

He tilted her chin up to face him. “Hey, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing, nothing I’m fine.”

“Lyra, it’s a routine mission. I’ve handled way worse, we have handled worse. I’ll be fine” he told her, stroking her cheek gently.

“I know it’s just. I didn’t realise I would feel this way now. I have someone to lose in this war now and it scares me” she replied.

“You never worried Hux would be in danger?”

“He commands men, he wasn’t out on the field with them. Besides, I’m talking about you, not him, you rush into danger like it’s a freshly made cake served to you on a silver plate.”

Poe kissed her temple softly as he drew her into a hug. “You don’t have to worry about me sweetheart, I have this. We’ll be fine. Look, you have this” he said, clutching Shara’s ring around her neck. “I have to make it back to you remember, you have my mom’s ring.”

She held him tighter as they stood there holding one another for a while before he eventually pulled away, kissing her as they separated.

“If I make it back in less than four hours, you have to be the big spoon tonight, alright?”

She nodded, managing to shoot him a small smile. “Deal, come back to me in one piece Dameron, you hear me?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it being any other way sweetheart, I’ll see you soon ok, I… yeah, I’ll see you soon.” The words teetered on the edge of his tongue just as they had done with her the night before, but he was gone before he could say it, and Lyra made her way to the comms room to help the General in decoding the messages.

As it turned out, the messages weren’t dangerous, though they weren’t useful to decode either. The First Order had believed they had discovered the whereabouts of the rebel base…. on Dagobar. Which of course, was not the case. For now, the Resistance’s base was secure. 

As soon as the missions were decoded and her work for Leia was completed, her and the General gathered around the main communications panel to radio through to Poe and his team who had already taken off towards the convoy to intercept it. 

Poe radioed through as soon as they were sure they hadn’t been followed.

“This is Commander Poe Dameron, patching through to Base 1.”

“Transmission received loud and clear Commander, what’s your visual?” Leia asked him through the radio signal.

“Convoy up ahead, 8 TIE fighters, and 1 Frigate. Should be easy enough to take out General. Snap, you cover me from the left, Jess from the right, Nien, you focus on the Frigate with me.”

“Alright Commander, proceed with caution” Leia instructed, watching as Lyra bit at her nails in anticipation.

Poe stared ahead at the convoy. It would be easy enough to intercept the convoy of that size and destroy it. He had meant what he said to Lyra before, he had handled worse.

“Alright squadron, let’s go, BB-8, keep the defence systems up and running, you know what to do buddy” he radioed through to them. The droid beeped in a serious tone.

“Don’t worry Lyra, I’ll be home before you know it” he whispered under his breath as he flew towards the convoy.

His squadron took the advantage, seeing as the convoy was not expecting them, he and his team managed to take down 3 TIE fighters before the First Order realised what was happening.  
But then the fight evened out a little and Poe began to take shots from the remaining fighters before Snap wrestled in to take them down.

Lyra listened in, unaware of what was happening while the comms team worked on getting holovids up of the squadron’s visuals.

When they finally managed it, she watched on as Poe and his team continued the fight against the convoy.

As Jess and Snap held back the TIE fighters fire, Poe and Nien focused on destroying the frigate. Luckily the ship only had four defence cannons, so, given Poe’s experience in the field, it was easy enough to take down its defences.

As Poe shot out the last remaining canon, BB-8 beeped happily. As Poe and Nien managed to shoot at the frigate until it lost power, Snap and Jess destroyed the last of the TIE fighters.

“Hold on, Commander Dameron, I’m picking up an incoming signal, look lively” Leia told him, causing Lyra to frown over at her before turning back to the holovids.

As Poe and his squadron watched the frigate tumble from the sky, a far larger ship appeared in-front of them, out of hyperspeed.

“Poe, retreat, that’s a cruiser, you don’t have the man power to take that out” Leia warned.

“Hold on, give me a second General.”

Lyra crossed her arms. “Poe, listen to the General, retreat.”

“You wanna see something special sweetheart?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “Poe, mind out of the cockpit now, I said retreat.”

Poe ignored her, and instead elected to fly ahead, towards the cruiser as he began to take out the cannons, Snap, Jess and Nien joining him.

The cruiser would not take fire lightly though, and began to shoot at the squadron with its remaining cannons.

“Poe! I said retreat, that’s an order” Leia shouted through the radio.

“This is a walk in the park General, Lyra, just you watch the galaxies greatest pilot at work.”

“I have a bad feeling about this Poe, please come back.”

Poe let out a cheer of delight as he took out another cannon, dodging fire as he did so.

“Piece of cake sweetheart, I’ve got this.”

Lyra rubbed her temples as she felt her levels of stress rise. Why? Why did he have to play with fire? Why now?

“Remember what I said before you left, I have someone to lose now, don’t be stupid, pull back” the young woman begged.

“You know what else there is to that statement Lyra, I have someone to fight for now too.”

Lyra banged her fists against the table as he refused to listen. “Get back here now you cocky bastard.”

Poe laughed as he took another shot at the cannon, flying through the fire as it blew up.

“That’s no way to talk to your knight in shining armour.”

Lyra put her head in her hands as she sat there, helpless as she waited for him to survive and get home.

Just as things were looking like a clear run home for Poe and his team, the cruiser managed to take a shot at Poe, hitting the edge of the left wing of his ship.

Kriff, ok, alright, everything’s ok, don’t worry.”

Lyra looked up at the holovids, watching as Poe’s ship began to spiral out his control.

“BB-8 work your magic buddy” Poe told his droid.

Just as the droid started working on suppressing the damage on the ship the cruiser took another shot, causing the ship to spiral out of control further.

Lyra couldn’t help it, tears began to fall as she sat there, powerless to help him.

“Poe, Poe talk to me, tell me you can fix this” she said.

Poe called out to BB-8 but received no answer.

“Lyra, I need BB-8 to provide me emergency power but he isn’t responding. My radio will cut out in a minute due to losing power and I’m gonna try and get Beebee back online so he can help but listen. Listen to me. If I don’t, if I don’t make it in time”

“No, no don’t say this, don’t do this to me” Lyra interrupted as tears fell.

“Listen to me Lyra, please. If I don’t make it out of this, stupid, routine mission of all ways to go out. I…. I love you Lyra, I know you wanted to keep things quiet about us on base but I have to tell you, I love you, stars I do.”

She smiled at his confession, but just as she was about to reply, his radio cut out.

“Poe? Poe are you there? Poe!”

Lyra looked to Leia for guidance. The General took her hand. “Lyra, all we can do is hope he got BB-8 up and running to get access to the emergency power.”

“Can we, can we get his radio working again? I need to know if he’s safe General, I need to know”

“I know Lyra, I know. Listen, his radio uses up too much power in an emergency situation. We won’t hear from him even if he manages to get out safe alright? We just, we need to wait this out.”

Lyra stood and made her way out to the docks, waiting anxiously for Poe to return him to her.  
Leia, a handful of rebels and Finn followed her out to watch for Poe and his squadron as well.

“Hey Lyra, it will be ok, Poe’s got himself out of stickier situations than this. He’ll be alright” Finn told her.

She nodded furiously, wanting to believe him, she had to believe Poe would get out of this safely.

Minute after minute passed by, and still no sign of Poe. Lyra’s tears sunk to the ground as she paced anxiously, waiting, praying he was alright.

Finally, after half an hour of waiting, three X-Wing fighters came into view, looking battered and beaten.

It was Poe’s squadron. But no sign of Poe.

As Jess sprinted over, Lyra caught her arm.

“Where’s Poe? Jess, where is he?”

Jess frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know, he was shot, he went down, we saw his ship fall out of the sky Lyra, I don’t, I don’t think he made it.”

Lyra shook her head as she cried, sinking to her knees. She clutched at Poe’s ring around her neck.

She forgot how to blink, how to cry, how to breathe. Poe was gone, as soon as he was here he was gone, taken from her.

No. It couldn’t be true. Fate was not that unkind, it couldn’t be. It wasn’t so cruel as to let him slip through her fingers just as she had caught a grip on him. 

She felt a hand on her back and as she looked to her side, Leia sunk to her level, stroking her back in comfort.

“I’m sorry Lyra, I’m so sorry” she whispered.

Lyra felt like a child again as she fell into Leia’s arms, clutching at her like a child did a mother.  
“He can’t be gone, it was just a routine mission. He can’t, he can’t be gone” Lyra cried against her.

Leia didn’t argue with her, instead she just held her close, trying best to comfort her.

There were no words between them, none that would help. Leia knew all too well there were no words to comfort you when you lost the ones you love.

They stayed there a while, on the ground, holding each other until, for what felt like hours. Lyra thought of her future, a future without Poe, a future without Hux, without anybody that had truly loved her. She couldn’t believe it, wishing only that she had been in his ship with him as it went down. If they were to leave this galaxy, she only wished it could have been together.

It could have been minutes later, or hours, or days for all Lyra could have cared, it certainly felt that way, until, the sounds of an incoming ship.

Leia was the only one who looked up and when she did, she breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Lyra, look up.”

She didn’t listen, too heartbroken to look anywhere as she remained numb.

“Lyra, your flyboy came home.”

Lyra reluctantly looked up. There at the end of the docks in a very, very broken X-Wing.

Poe.

He was covered in dirt, dust and even a little blood, but he was there. Alive.

Lyra wiped her tears away, believing it to be a dream as she stood up.

“Lyra?”

That was it. Enough to make her realise he was really there. They ran to each other until their bodies met, crashing into one another in a bone-crushing hug before falling to the ground in each other’s arms.

“Poe, you’re alive? You’re alive!”

He held her close, breathing in her scent. She cried against him as she held him as tightly as she could before he leaned back, wiping her tears away and pulling her into a fierce kiss. They didn’t care if everyone on base saw them. His kiss was desperate as he clung to her, clumsy as his tongue begged entrance into her mouth and danced along her own. 

His hands went to her hair as he gripped it, as her fingertips ghosted the sides of his face.

Finally, as they pulled away, Poe held her face in his hands as he stared down at her, relieved to be reunited with her once more.

“You uh, you get my message on the radio?”

She nodded.

“Ok, well, you have any thoughts about that, maybe?”

“I have a lot of thoughts about that” she said as she wiped some of the dirt from his face, touching him to make sure he was really there with her.

“Ok. A lot of thoughts? Care to share any of those thoughts with me sweetheart?”

Lyra took a deep breath in as she focused on him.

“The truth of the matter is Poe Dameron, is that... I love you.  
I love everything about you. I love your kindness, I love your courage, I love that your best friend is a droid. I love the way your nose wrinkles when you laugh and I love the lines by your eyes when you smile. I love that little vein in your forehead that appears when you’re angry or find something hilarious. Dammit I even love the little smirk you get when you’re being otherwise unbearably cocky.  
I love your hoarse voice in the morning and how it takes a good five minutes for your eyes to focus and you just blink at me like some overgrown puppy until they do. I love when you pull me close to you every night when you hold me and when you wake, you look at me like it’s the first time you have seen me, every damn time.   
I love that you see the best in people. I love that you aren’t ashamed to be with me, not ever, regardless of who is watching. I love that you believe in me and have never once looked at me like I’m just some noble girl. What I’m really trying to convey is that, I love you. I hope, I hope that’s alright?”

Poe blinked at her for a few moments, leaving Lyra to stare at him with a worried look on her face.

“Fuck. I should have kept those thoughts as just thoughts shouldn’t I? You see this is why I didn’t speak the other nigh…..”

Poe cut her off with another kiss and she felt him smile against her mouth as he did so. He lifted her up off the ground with him and up into the air, forcing her legs to hook around his waist as he held her up. When their lips finally parted, Lyra looked at him for a response.

“Stars I love you. There I was thinking my declaration of love, just as I was being shot down by the First Order was the most romantic thing in the galaxy but then you go and do that and just, wow. Are you always gonna best me at everything?”

Lyra giggled down at him as he gazed up at her like a lovesick boy. 

“I’m always going to try my damn hardest to.”


	23. Legends Of Old

Life for Poe and Lyra was a little easier now everyone knew of them being together. In truth, it was probably only easier for them work-wise because Leia felt guilty for sending Poe on a mission that had almost cost him his life.  
Though technically, it was Poe’s fault he landed himself in such a mess when he refused to retreat even after being ordered to. At one point, Leia had even threatened him with a demotion. That had frightened Poe into listening to her, for the time being at least. 

One morning, as they lay in bed together, cuddling as BB-8 sat patiently by their side in his little corner, Poe mused on their future.

“I can’t wait until we have more space to ourselves than just my room” he whispered to her as he spooned her, stroking her hand softly.

“Mm, that would be nice. I’m going to need a lot of space for my dresses, if and when I finally get them all back.”

“That’s alright, I can build you a walk in-closet. I can build us a whole house in Yavin, just like my mom and dad did together.”

She reached back to look at him. “Oh I see, so you have already taken it upon yourself to decide that we will be living in Yavin.”

He laughed as he kissed her gently. “Well, there’s so much room to build there, and the skies at night are so romantic to look at, and BB-8 loves Yavin, you wouldn’t deny our favourite droid his most beloved planet now would you?”

BB-8 hummed happily as Lyra giggled. “That’s not fair, that’s emotional blackmail.”

Poe tickled her as he kissed her neck gently. “Nah, come on. We could go swimming naked in the waterfalls in Yavin and climb the temples together. We have enough land to build our dream house and just imagine our kids having all that space to run around in.”

Lyra’s face fell as did her heart. She turned away from him and he lay there for a moment, confused by her actions, until it hit him.

“Kriff, Lyra I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

He held her shoulder, trying to turn her back to him, but she stayed still, her face still turned away from him.

“Lyra I didn’t mean it, I just said it in the moment. I was just thinking out loud I promise.”

He held her close as he kissed her back gently. 

“Lyra please, I love you, I’m sorry.”

She reluctantly turned back to him, tears staining her cheeks. “What if it is a problem Poe? What if you find yourself wanting children in the future? What then? I lose you?”

Poe wiped her tears away before he stroked her cheek. “You won’t lose me. Lyra listen to me, when I see my future I see you, I see us. I love you. I see falling asleep with you and waking up with you. I see laughing with you and travelling with you and working with you. I see us with our friends, spending time with each other and when I’m sad I see that it’s you there supporting me, and I’m there for you when life gets tough on you.”

Lyra’s lip quivered. “But that’s now. What if that changes? What if you want children later?”

Poe shrugged. “Then we’ll figure it out, but that’s the point, we’ll figure it out, together. All I know is that I love you and I want you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before Lyra, you believe me on that right?”

Her eyes locked on his as she nodded slowly, clearly seeing his words were genuine. “Yes, I believe you.”

He ran his thumb over her quivering lip slowly. “I know this has been something that has bothered you since you found out, but I don’t want you to let it worry you anymore. Lyra, I want you to know that I think you’re all I need in this relationship. I love you, I really do.”

She smiled up at him as he cleared away the last of her tears. “I love you too Poe.”

“Will you marry me?”

She scoffed. “That’s your guilt talking now. Besides, I don’t think I can, I’m still technically married.”

“No I’m serious, if you weren’t married, if you were technically a free agent with no past in the First Order, would you, would you ever consider marrying me?” 

She smiled up at him, placing a hand on his heart. “In a heartbeat my love.”

He kissed her nose softly. “Being in love during a war feels different, it’s like I wanna grab every opportunity that comes our way.”

“You know what opportunity I want to grab? Those little blue cakes with the icing they serve in the cantina in the morning, that’s what I want to grab right now.”

Poe laughed against her hair before kissing her. “Alright well, I am gonna work on fixing my ship up. She took a heavy beating in the last attack and it’s probably gonna take a couple of days to repair her properly. Meet me in the hangar later? Will you save me a cake?”

“I can’t promise I won’t eat them all but yes, I’ll meet you there later” she said, getting up first and changing into fresh clothes. Before she left, she gave Poe one quick kiss.

“Catch you later flyboy, love you. I’ll see you later too B.”

The droid beeped goodbye.

“I love you too” Poe called to her as she left for the cantina. 

Meanwhile, on-board the Finalizer

General Hux finished another shot of whiskey as he stared up from his work and looked over at a photograph of him and Lyra on their wedding day.

His cat Millicent pottered around the table, brushing past the photo.

“I know girl, I miss her too. It’s just you and I now, until we find Lyra, and we will find her. I can feel us growing closer to discovering the rebel base any day now.”

The cat meowed as she brushed up against Hux’s hand, demanding attention. He began to pet her obligingly. 

Everything was quieter since Lyra left, but he felt it worst in their chambers. Right now he felt as if he should be listening to her telling him about the newest book she had read, or asking him for his opinion on a new dress or even making a sarcastic or rude comment about a co-worker giving him too much trouble. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept properly. Every time he slept he had nightmares about Lyra, about her falling in battle, about rebels torturing her, forcing her to work for them. He avoided sleep as best he could, by working overtime, and then when he felt tired, he would keep working. Physically he was exhausted, mentally he was too. The one person who kept him grounded and sane, had slipped through his fingertips.

And it was all his fault.

Back at the rebel base

After Lyra had eaten her fill in the cantina, she grabbed a few cakes for Poe and made her way to the ship hangar. 

Her Pilot was exactly where she knew he would be, talking away to BB-8 as he worked on repairs to his ship. 

He was wearing his orange flight suit, but it was pulled down to the waist and he was wearing only a white tank top that was stained with oil spills underneath. As he ran his hand across his brow, staining his face with oil slightly, she realised he really did look like a poster boy. But she was thinking of a different kind of poster boy entirely. 

As she approached him she leaned down to pet BB-8 first, tickling him as Poe often did, much to the little droid’s amusement. 

“Now I can believe why the Resistance wanted you as their poster boy” she smiled at Poe as she stood back up, admiring him as he climbed down from the ship.

“Oh yeah? Would you have hung me up on your wall as a teen and kissed me every night before you went to sleep, reciting the name Mrs Lyra Dameron to yourself?”

She smirked. “Something like that, maybe. Poe Dameron, the cause of all teenage rebel’s sexual awakenings. That actually sounds about right.”

He winced at the idea of hordes of young girls screaming at the sight of him. Before Lyra, that notion might have interested him, but now, he was only interested in one girl’s attention.

“Good job I only have eyes for one woman” he said as he kissed her softly before taking the cakes from her.

“You’re only saying that because I brought you food” she winked.

“You know that’s not true and… hey, this one has a bite taken out of it already” Poe said, holding up one of the cakes with a large mouthful already gone.

“Sorry, I got hungry again on the way from the cantina.”

Poe rolled his eyes as he laughed before looking down at BB-8. “Can you believe this buddy? She’s stealing bites of my food now, it’s a good job we love her right?”

BB-8 beeped loudly as he nodded his head. 

“Thank you, I love you both too.”

As he began snacking on one of the cakes, Lyra wiped a line of oil spill from his forehead, making him smile at her in appreciation with a mouthful of cake. She laughed softly at his goofy expression. 

“More faces like that and I’ll change my mind about you looking like a poster boy. How’s the ship doing? Do you think you can fully repair her?”

Poe polished off two of the cakes before placing the others to the side as he licked his fingers clean.

“She took pretty bad hits but, she’ll be ok. I can work on the exterior and then get the mechanics in to check her systems and the interior can be fixed. She’s not going down so easily.”

Lyra leaned against the ship.

“You know, hearing you talk about your ship, wearing that flight suit pulled down and that tight little tank top is pretty hot.”

Poe raised an eyebrow as he leaned his arm above her, looming over her flirtatiously. “Oh really? You hot for squadron leader?” 

She hooked her fingers into the waistband of his flight suit, pulling him closer.

“I’m hot for Poe Dameron as my squadron leader” she whispered against his ear, mindful of the fact people were around.

“As hot as it is hearing you call me your squadron leader, it’s a good job you aren’t technically on the squad because if you were, I’m pretty sure I’d be demoted on account of me screwing the brains out of one of my employees” he said quietly into her ear, nipping the soft flesh there as BB-8 obliviously worked on repairing the ship around them.

Lyra frowned. “Wait, am I not technically part of the squadron? I almost lost my leg taking down that cannon on Starkiller for you guys, not to mention all the missions I have successfully completed since joining the Resistance.”

Poe kissed her shoulder softly. “Easy, you are as good as a member of my squadron, the guys love you, I love you, way more than they do just, FYI. In my eyes, you are a member of the team.”

She sighed. “That isn’t technically a member of the squadron though. Technically I could be anyone in this rebellion Poe. I have a bounty on my head, it would be nice to be recognised a little for my efforts.”

He shook his head as he grinned at her. “Stars, sometimes loving you feels like I’m loving a part of myself. Look, between you and me, I think Leia is considering giving you a promotion, maybe bumping you up to a lieutenant or something. But that stays between you and me and I don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t happen.”

Lyra smiled up at him. “Leia will give me a title, she loves me. I’ll be Commander before you know it.”

Poe rolled his eyes as he nipped at her neck. “So competitive, your drive is really, really sexy you know.”

“Is that so? Good job I have someone who can keep up with me” Lyra replied before Poe caught her lips in a kiss, pulling her bottom lip in-between his teeth softly. 

“I wanna taste you, I need to” he whispered, pushing himself up against her slowly. 

“Not here Poe, there are people everywhere” she said, pulling away from him.

He took her hand and led her away, towards a quiet, empty part of the hangar that seemed to be used for spare parts for ships and extra flight suits. 

Poe pulled her behind the rail of flight suits and placed a trail of kisses down her body, pulling at her pants as he did so.

“Poe, what are you doing?”

“I told you, I need to taste you.”

“Right here? Someone could see us.”

He smirked up at her as he pulled her shirt up to kiss her navel gently. “Nah, nobody comes back here, so if you’re quiet enough, nobody will come looking. Do you want me to stop?”

He hooked his fingers in the waistband of her pants as he gripped her backside, his mouth hovering close to her inner thighs.

Lyra looked around as she bit her lip. He drove her crazy, everything about him was so intoxicating she was sure he could ask her to jump out of a ship into space and she would still be putty in his hands. His very talented, dexterous hands. 

She shook her head as she blushed. It was the only confirmation he needed. He worked her out of her pants and underwear before delving his tongue straight into her core. His tongue licked a long, slow strip along her, causing her head to fall back as she moaned and her hands went to his hair instantly.

He threw one of her legs over his shoulder as he delved deeper into her core, dipping his tongue into her as if she was the last drop of water in a desert. As his fingernails dug into her legs softly, holding her in place, his tongue licked upwards to circle her little pearl. She glanced down at him as he let out a satisfactory grunt at her sweet, unique taste, smirking as he knew the effect he had on her. She let out another low moan as his tongue worked its magic on her.

“You gotta be quiet sweetheart, someone will find us” he whispered against her core, his gentle breath against her, making her shiver.

She nodded, biting her lip as she tried to bite back her moans as Poe sucked her pearl into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it softly and deliberately. His fingers soon joined his mouth, entering her and hooking inside of her as he thrust them in and out of her slowly as his tongue stayed focused on her bud.

Her hips unconsciously began to arch into his mouth as her fingers tightened in his hair, alerting Poe that she was close. Poe’s tongue worked harder and faster against her until finally, she let out a strangled cry as her legs shook as her climax took over. She was sure she would have fallen to her legs if Poe had not been holding her up. 

As she caught her breath, he stood up, placing a lazy kiss on her lips, relishing the flush in her skin and the look in her eyes as she came down from the high he had caused.

She moved to undo his flight suit but he caught her hands before she could do so. “Come on sweetheart, gotta back to working on the ship.”

He winked at her as she looked at him in confusion. 

“Why, what, you don’t want to get something out of this?”

He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, lapping the last of her up. “I did get something from that. I made you cum, that’s the best feeling in the world.”

She stared at him in disbelief before grinning stupidly at him. “By the stars, I’m in love with the best man in the entire galaxy.”

Poe shrugged as he took her hand. “Not gonna argue with that, come on, you can hold my wrench.”

“You would let me hold your wrench but not let me work with it? You are a tease Poe Dameron.”

They made their way back to the hangar and continued working on Poe’s ship until Snap approached them. 

“Hey you two, Leia has given us a mission. There’s talk of potential rebels hiding out on the jungle planet Devaron. She wants us to go scout the planet, see if there are any rebels and if there are, convince them to come back and fight with us, you in?”

Poe nodded. “Hell yeah I’m in! Devaron is where the ancient Jedi and Sith temples are. I’ve always wanted to see them, find out what secrets are hiding in there.”

“I’m in too, I have a lot of questions about the Jedi and the force, maybe these temples can provide some answers” Lyra told them. 

As the others suited up and prepared to leave, Poe turned to Lyra. “Ride with me.”

“Poe I’m actually good at flying now, how much longer can we convince people I’m better off tucked into your X-Wing with you? It’s starting to be a little unbelievable, considering Jess is on this mission and she’s the one who’s trained me up to fly.”

Poe pouted like a spoilt child. “I know but, I like you tucked up in my X-Wing with me.”

She held up a finger. “I’m a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a squadron leader Pilot.”

The dark-haired Pilot smirked. “Might not need me but you want me.”

“Always. But let do this flight separately, I’ll ride with you on the next trip. Now come on, let’s get to this planet.”

XXX

Devaron was a strange planet. It bared similarities to the jungle like aspects of Yavin and Felucia but seemed all-together darker. The skyline was a blood red as they landed their ships close to the temples, casting rather sinister shadows over the treetops. Lyra could see why this was once considered a haven for Sith lords and their dark apprentices.

The squadron felt uneasy staying there, the Sith lords of old were no more, just like the Jedi, but the looming, dark history of the planet remained, like a shadow clinging to the very atmosphere. The only one who didn’t seem to mind being there at all was Poe. Then again, Lyra was fairly certain Poe would always be a ‘jump from the pan into the fire’ kind of man. 

“Who wants to check out the temples with me and Lyra? There could be rebels hiding out there” Poe asked the squadron as they approached the steps. 

“Uh, you know, we are just gonna scout the surrounding areas we think that’s probably for the best” Jess said nervously.

“Alright, wimps, keep your radios close by, call through if you need us” Poe replied.

“More likely gonna be the other way around if you’re going into those creepy temples” Jess countered before the squadron split off and left Poe and Lyra to explore the temples alone. 

Unlike the ruins on D’Qar and Yavin, the temples on Devaron seemed to be in much better condition. Inside, old, imposing statues and stone carvings build into the walls of old Jedi knights and masters were spread out along the length of the main temple. Plants and vines had made their way inside and crawled up along the walls and statues. 

An old map of the galaxy sat at the end of the long corridor, inactive. Old books and archives on the Jedi and Sith order sat dusty and inactive too. Lyra ran her hand along the dusty, old books as she walked along one side of the corridor. 

Picking up a particularly large book she flipped through the pages, reading parts of a passage on the Jedi order and its rules. 

“See anything interesting?”

Lyra shook her head. “Just a bunch of rules and regulations for the Jedi to follow in this one. Nothing about the force and how to control it.”

“You think you are force sensitive? Was it hearing the voices from the force tree in Yavin that made you think so?

Poe walked to her side, looking through some of the archives himself.

“Not just that. Back when I crashed the ship during the attack on Starkiller base, I tried to grab for the flare to call for help and it was out of my reach. I focused all my attention on the flare and all I know is that suddenly it was within my reach. And back in Pau City, I know I took that shot for you but before the Stormtrooper could shoot, I focused on the blaster and I could have sworn it swayed his arm and disrupted his aim.”

Poe nodded at her, his brow furrowed.

“Do you think I’m crazy?”

“No of course I don’t think you’re crazy. I think it’s cool, if you could harness that power you could be an amazing force of nature, a Jedi knight like the old legends.”

Lyra looked up at him from one of the books. “No. No I wouldn’t want that. I know the tragedy Jedi knights and their powers caused in the past. I don’t want to be a part of that. It would be nice though, to better understand the force and what I can actually do with it.”

Poe helped her go through the books in the hopes they would find something to help Lyra understand her connection to the force.

“Lyra, I think I found something here, listen. The force is an energy field created by all living things. Jedi’s feel a stronger connection to this energy, breathing it, tasting it, riding it’s currents to their unique destinies. The living force is raw and close at hand, it is the life energy tingling around you when you pass among plants and life. When many die at once, or you feel a deep connection to someone who dies, the loss of energy may shock you, even knock you out.”

Lyra waved her hand. “That doesn’t help me in understanding how I could move objects at moments of desperation.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “Easy, I’m getting to it. It says force abilities such as running, jumping, heightened senses, moving objects or soothing the emotions of others are techniques by which we become agents of the living force.”

Lyra frowned. “So perhaps, it’s less about the objects and more about channelling the living force within me to move things. It doesn’t explain why I could only channel it during moments of real need. Jedi’s can use the force to shift objects and people’s wills at a moment’s notice.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t want to be a Jedi? Sounds like you’re pretty interested.”

Lyra closed the book she was reading before walking away to inspect the stone carvings of the Jedi on the walls. Some of the figures she recognised from when she read history books. Master Yoda, Dooku, Obi-Wan, Windu, Aayla Secura…. Then she came across a wall of Sith lords, Darth Vader, Sidious, Maul, and then she came across a carving of a Pantoran female Sith, along with a description of her past and legacy.

“Here Poe, this is why I don’t want to ever be a Jedi. This is why I don’t want to know too much about what I’m capable of. This woman, her name was Kiza, she was a Sith lord. She fell in love with a human male called Remi before she turned to the dark side and when he couldn’t kill her, he tried to steal her lightsaber, in a bid to stop her from turning further towards the dark. She cut him down for it, on this planet. Poe, her lover, her entire world at one point, she destroyed him. She destroyed the man who couldn’t bring himself to end the life of the woman he loved.   
That is the Jedi order. That is the nature of the force. Anakin and Padme, Kiza and Remi, Palpatine murdered his own master, Darth Plagueis to rise up and become Darth Sidious. All of it ends in betrayal and heartbreak and death. I want no part in it.”

Poe rest a hand on her neck gently. “Hey, hey I understand. It’s ok, I’ll help you understand as much as you want to. You know I’ll stand by you regardless. I love you. Whether you’re a Jedi or a pilot or a technician, whatever it is, you’re still my badass girlfriend.” 

Lyra smiled, leaning over to kiss him gently. “This is the first time I’m hearing you call me your girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I guess it is, is that alright?”

“As long as you always put badass before it, it sounds pretty good.”

Poe winked at her. “You got it.”

“Well, we should probably look around for any potential rebels hiding out here right?”

They scouted the temples together to see if they could find any signs of life, but despite the temples being in good condition, there was no signs of recent activity.

After a few hours of searching around, they gave up, radioing through to the others to see if they had more luck in finding any rebels.  
As they met on the steps of the temple outside, Poe asked the others if they had found anyone.

“No, nothing. We scouted around for miles, just creatures and birds and gross bugs that had way too many legs for my liking, but no rebels” Jess told them as Snap, Nien and Ello sat down on the steps. 

“You find anything in the temples?” Snap asked them.

Lyra gestured to the book regarding the force Poe had found her. “Just some light reading, but no rebels.”

“Leia’s gonna be disappointed we didn’t find anything of use, but we have done all we can guys. I’m calling time on this mission, if there was anyone hiding out on this planet, they would have headed for the shelter of the temples, and if they weren’t, they wouldn’t have wondered too far from them. We tried” Poe said as he let out a loud sigh. 

As the others made their way back their ships feeling a sense of defeat, Lyra reached out to touch Poe’s arm affectionately as they walked back to his X-Wing. 

“Leia will understand Poe. If the rebels aren’t here, we’ll find them on another planet instead, don’t feel bad.”

He hooked his arm around her shoulder as he pulled her closer to mess up her hair before kissing her head gently. “I know, just hate coming back from anything empty-handed.”


	24. Moving Up

Lyra groaned in annoyance as she felt something tickle her neck gently. She had been experiencing the most wonderful dream and Poe had just woken her from it. The only saving grace was that recently, her life had felt like a dream regardless. Though they had both been working so hard the past few weeks, she would have been glad for the lie-in.

As Poe kissed her neck again she groaned once more, causing him to chuckle against the soft crook in between her neck and shoulder.

“What’s the matter sweetheart, you don’t want to wake up to me?”

She groaned. “I didn’t want to wake up at all, I’m tired.”

She turned on her back, giving Poe access to kiss her properly. “I know, I’m sorry, it’s just, you said you would help Jess work on some coding and I don’t want you to be late.”

Lyra’s eyes opened fully and she smiled up at Poe, leaning over her, looking down at her with that lazy smile she loved so much.

“You are so sweet.”

He gave her a smug smile. “I am? I am aren’t I?” 

She laughed as he pulled her in close to hold her.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m giving you a cuddle” Poe replied.

“Poe, you just woke me up so I wouldn’t be late and now you want a cuddle? Doesn’t this seem a little counterproductive?”

He put his hand over her face softly. “Shh, just a little 5 minute cuddle, it won’t hurt.”

She giggled, pushing his hand off her face and rolling over so that she was sitting on him.

“Or we could do something else, if that’s what you’d prefer” he smirked, crossing his arms behind his head.

She rolled her eyes, leaning down to kiss him gently. “You woke me up so I wouldn’t be late, I should get ready.”

He gripped her shoulders, trailing his lips down the her cheek and jawline slowly “Mmhmm, yeah you should, or….. you could stay here with me, a few minutes longer maybe?”

She felt his long eyelashes brush against her as he whispered his words to her seductively, his mouth hovering by her jawline, teasing to kiss her again.

“Mm, could do that yeah, both are good options, in their own, very different ways” she said quietly before he silenced her with another kiss. 

His lips captured her own as he rolled the bedcovers off her so that her upper body was exposed to him. As he rolled her under him, there was a knock at the door that caused Lyra to look away and stare at the source of the knocks.

“Shh, just ignore it, they will go away in a second” he whispered, kissing her earlobe softly as he coaxed her back to him.

“What if it’s someone important?”

“It is. It’s Leia, open up.”

Poe and Lyra looked at one another, wide-eyed, before Lyra jumped up and threw on the nearest clothes as Poe covered himself up with the bed sheets.

Lyra opened the door to see Leia stood there with that famous smirk on her face as she looked from the young woman to a rather sheepish looking Poe sat up in bed. 

“Sorry if I interrupted anything but I wanted to talk to you, privately if that’s ok?”

Lyra nodded. “Yes of course General, right away.”

Leia smirked as she nodded. “I’ll let you get ready properly first, just meet me in my office when you’re dressed.”

As Lyra shut the door behind her she grinned back at Poe. “She wants to talk to me alone, do you think that means you were right about the promotion?”

He beamed up at her as he watched her scurry to get changed properly. “Well, I’m not usually wrong so it seems like this could be pretty good news.”

As she went to kiss him goodbye, he wrapped his arms around her legs as she leaned down to kiss him.

“Good luck sweetheart, whatever happens, just know that I’m proud of you regardless.”

She stroked his face softly, realising she was beyond lucky to have someone who believed in her as much as Poe did.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Now, go get em’ sweetheart.”

Lyra fluffed Poe’s hair, much to his dismay before skipping off to find Leia in her office.

The General took notice of Lyra’s optimistic attitude and facial expression as soon as she sat down.

“Someone’s happy today.”

“I am now I’m seeing you General.”

“Are you flirting with me? Is Poe Dameron not enough?”

Lyra blushed, forgetting herself momentarily. “Apologies General, I’m just, in a good mood today I suppose.”

The General raised an eyebrow. “Well if I hadn’t have already made up my mind about this next decision I would tell you flattery will get you nowhere, but, as it stands I have some news. I have noticed your hard work around the base, I appreciate everything you do for us and I know everyone else around here does too. I also know, you will continue to impress us with your hard work and for that, I would like to reward you.  
I’m promoting you to Captain.”

Leia’s words barely left her mouth before Lyra threw her arms around the General’s neck in a forceful hug as she jumped excitedly.

As the young woman pulled away, Leia smiled at her. Sometimes she felt looking at her was like looking in a mirror. Poe often reminded her of Han, that is a part of why she had wanted him as her protégé, it was also why she wanted to keep a close eye on him and try to keep him out of trouble. Seeing him and Lyra together had quickly become a comfort to Leia since losing her own husband. It reminded her that their sort of love still existed, and that it lived on through others.

Watching Lyra come into her own had been comforting for Leia to watch too. She was proud of everyone in the rebellion, of everyone fighting against injustice, but seeing someone grow as a person as much as Lyra had felt even more special to her.

“Thank you General, oh thank you so, so much! You have no idea how grateful I am!”

“Actually, I do have an idea. Listen, there’s a ceremony tomorrow, you and a few other rebels are being promoted. Just be in the main hall at 11:00am on the dot, is that doable?”

Lyra nodded, though the competitive side of her wondered who else was up for promotion and if they had worked as hard as she had to get to where they were. 

“I know that look. Don’t let the other promotions make you feel any less proud. For the record, the other promotions are officers to Lieutenants, you’re the only Captain. Now go spread the good news, I’m sure Poe is desperate to know, if he isn’t already listening at the door.” 

Lyra took Leia’s hands in her own as she squeezed them affectionately. “Thank you General, thank you so much.”

Leia signalled for her to leave and smiled as she watched the young woman almost fall over herself to get out of the door. 

When Lyra couldn’t find Poe in their room, she made her way to the hangar where he was kneeling down, talking to BB-8 as the little droid helped repair a nearby ship. 

As soon as he saw her approach, he smiled, getting up to his feet as he waited for her to reveal Leia’s news. 

“So…. How did it go?”

“She just wanted me to decode something for her, nothing exciting.”

Poe’s face fell. “Oh kriff, I’m sorry. I’m sure she’s working on promoting you soon though.”

Lyra grinned. “I’m just kidding, she’s promoting me to Captain!!”

Poe cried out in excitement as he picked Lyra up in her arms and held her tight as he spun her around. 

When he lowered her to the ground, he took her face in his hands and kissed her forcefully. 

She laughed as they separated, glad for Poe’s excitable reaction. 

“Congratulations sweetheart, I knew this was coming! I’m so proud of you, so damn proud!”

Lyra smiled against him as he kissed her hair, pulling her close again for another hug. 

Below them, BB-8, nudged her, causing her to bend down and tickle the droid’s head softly. “Thanks B, I’ll put in a good word to Leia about a promotion for you too.”

“I can’t believe she’s promoting you to Captain, that’s such a big deal sweetheart. Most people get promoted to Lieutenant but to be bumped up to Captain, that’s big, Leia clearly has high hopes for you” Poe told her as she stood up to face him.

“Yes, she told me the other recruits are just being promoted to Lieutenants. Maybe I’m the next Poe Dameron in her eyes?”

Poe raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms. “Well, I don’t know about that. There’s only one Poe Dameron.”

“The galaxy can only handle one Poe Dameron.”

“Exactly. Wait, fairly sure you didn’t mean that as a compliment, but regardless, Lyra, this is a big deal. I’m so, so proud of you. Such a far cry from the girl I met on-board that First Order cruiser. You are the bravest, strongest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and I feel honoured to be a part of your life now. Watching you grow strength to strength, it’s special.” 

Lyra wrapped her arms around his neck as she moved closer to him, smiling up at him as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “It feels so wonderful to have you by my side, I’ve never met anyone so supportive of me, I am so very lucky to have you. I love you.”

Poe smirked as he shook his head. “Ah you’re gonna make me cry. It’s me who’s lucky. I love you too sweetheart. So, when’s the ceremony?”

“Tomorrow morning at 11.”

“Better work on spreading the word then.”

It came as no surprise to Poe that everyone on base was infinitely happy for Lyra’s promotion. Even to those who felt a little jealous of her success, they could all see the effects of her hard work and dedication to the Resistance. While she had grown close to both General Leia and Poe, her work spoke for itself and the Rebellion was built on hope, trust and love for one another. 

For Lyra however, the support she received was overwhelming and entirely unexpected. The support from the Resistance was something she believed she would never grow used to. After years of only having Armitage by her side, a whole throng of friends was a concept that would take a while to get used to. She welcomed in the support regardless, not even minding when Snap’s idea of congratulations was to repeatedly get her into a headlock and rub her hair into a frizzy mess. 

After almost a whole day of celebrating her success with the others, she slipped out of the crowds to have a moment to herself. 

Sitting down on the hill that she had once sat on to mourn the loss of her relationship with Armitage after finding out he had signed the warrant for her death, she felt a sense of discomfort. She was in love with Poe, but her feelings for Armitage had not simply disappeared in the space of a few months.

Looking down at his wedding ring on her finger, she smiled sadly as she twiddled it around her finger. Poe had not questioned her wearing the ring. He hadn’t asked her to remove it, not once, not even now, when they were committed to one another. 

She was grateful for his patience and understanding, expecting that if it were anyone else, they would have demanded she take the ring off if she was truly in love with someone else. 

Lyra had never given much thought to the concept of having feelings for more than one person. The brief thoughts she had ever had on it were that it was hardly likely and if it were, it was nothing more than pure greed.

Had Armitage been in her life these past few months, she wondered if she would have still fallen in love with Poe, or if the absence of her husband had been the only reason she had found it easier to slip into a relationship with another. 

Poe was everything to her. But there had been a time where Armitage had been too. She wondered if perhaps he might have moved on already. If he might have found some pretty officer on-board the Finalizer he might have at least passed the time with in an attempt to move on from the memory of her.

It was selfish of her that even the thought of that aggravated her. Considering she had been intimate with Poe numerous times already. She had been disloyal since that day in the cave. But that kiss, it had felt so right, until the moment Armitage cropped up into her head. 

“Hey sweetheart, everything ok? You kind of just disappeared.”

She looked up to see Poe as he settled down on the grass next to her.

“Sorry, I just, needed a moment to think.”

Poe kissed her shoulder softly as he glanced down at her hand upon her wedding ring.

“You thinking about Hux?”

She bit her lip as she stared down. “You never ask me to take his ring off.”

He rolled his eyes. “Be a little hypocritical of a guy who wore his mother’s wedding ring for twenty years to ask someone to take their ring off, don’t you think?”

She looked over at him. “But he’s my husband, and I’m in a relationship with you. You don’t get upset?”

Poe shrugged. “Missing people is about missing people. Doesn’t matter if they are parents or friends or exes. I get it. Besides, I know you love me, you prove that to me every day. I know how you must feel, I’ll bet you sometimes feel like you can share all the work you’ve done with him, seeing as for a long time you would have told him everything. I get it Lyra, I do understand.”

She leaned her head against his as a tear escaped her eye. “I will never, ever understand what I did to deserve you, but I’ll spend my entire life being grateful for it.”

They stayed there together, in comfortable silence until finally they retired to their room for the night, eagerly awaiting the promotion ceremony the next morning. 

XXX

Lyra fiddled around nervously as she secured the cape on her dress. It was one of the dresses Poe had picked up from Naboo for her. She had woken him up early cursing under her breath as she tried to decide on what to wear.

Poe watched her sleepily from the bed as she stared at her reflection, making sure everything looked presentable. 

“You know, you could have just worn my clothes and saved yourself the hassle. Not like anybody else is gonna dress up, this is a military ceremony sweetheart.”

She disregarded him, smoothing out the blue chiffon of the dress before tugging on the heavy material of the embellished cape so that it was even on either side of her.

“It’s a ceremony nonetheless. Besides, the General used to be known primarily as a princess, and who am I to not make an effort for royalty?”

Poe stretched his arms out as he rolled over on his side to get a better look at her. “But she’s already seen you in casual clothes.”

“And today she’ll see me in something else, are you really going to fight me on this one?”

Poe giggled. “Nope, no attempt at fighting you. You can dip yourself in glue and roll in a pile of bird feathers for this ceremony if that’s what you so desire. You’ll still look hot to me.”

Lyra’s nerves calmed a little at his comment and she turned to face him. “Do I look alright Poe? Truly?”

He smiled, beckoning her over to him. “You look gorgeous.”

She went to his side and bent her head to kiss him. He pulled her down to him, causing her to shriek out as he tickled her, planting kisses on her face gently as he did so.

“No, Poe, stop, stop, you’ll tear the fabric” she giggled between kisses.

Not wanting to upset her, he held his hands up in surrender, but not before planting one more kiss on her.

She smiled down at him, running a hand through his messy hair. “If I didn’t love you, I would kill you for that.”

“I know. Look, you better go ahead to the ceremony, I’ll be sat in the front row cheering the loudest for you.”

As she went to the door, she stood by it a moment, leaning against it as she stared back at Poe as he sat up on his elbows.

“Poe, when did you first realise you were in love with me?”

He paused, thinking about it before nodding. “That day you were sat on my bed reading, and you told me you were learning how to speak binary so you could talk to BB-8, that’s when I knew. When did you realise?”

“Naboo, when you went back for my dresses. I knew it wasn’t truly about you showing off, it was you trying to bring something back from my old life to comfort me, even after I had hurt you. That’s when I knew for certain.”

He smiled, relieved she seemed to understand his motivations where others would put it down to mere foolishness and cocky behaviour. 

“Thought so. Now go, get that promotion, I’ll be there later” he said, hurrying her out of the door with a wave of his hand. She obliged, throwing him one last smile before scurrying to the main hall where Leia and the other rebels in line for a promotion were waiting. 

Leia walked them through the running order of the promotions and couldn’t help but smirk at Lyra’s dress.

“Didn’t fancy wearing just a plain uniform for the occasion Lyra?”

The young woman returned the smirk. “I wanted to look my best for such an achievement General, if you permit it of course.”

“I see Dameron’s confidence has rubbed off on you. I suppose seeing as your last in the running order, you can end the ceremony with a bang looking like that. Don’t make a habit of upstaging me though” Leia finished with a subtle wink.

“I couldn’t upstage you even if I wanted to General.”

Leia chuckled. “How charming. Dameron’s definitely rubbed off on you.”

XXX

During the ceremony, Lyra stood waiting, listening to the other names being called out before finally, it was her time to be called to the front. 

“For heroic services to the Rebellion, including playing an essential role in bringing down Starkiller base, for disrupting First Order communications and for taking down a notorious slave trader and weapons dealer, I present, Lyrasanna Hux” Leia called out.

Lyra made her way to the front of the hall as the crowds of rebels cheered. As she approached Leia, she caught a glance of Poe, who was grinning ear to ear as he cheered for her. 

“Lyra, It is my honour to bestow upon you the title of Captain Lyrasanna of the Resistance, 3rd division. Congratulations” Leia said as she fastened a badge onto Lyra’s cape with the Resistance symbol and an eight-pointed star directly below it.

Once more the crowds erupted in supportive cheers as Lyra shook Leia’s hand respectfully and made her way down to her seat beside Poe.

Not caring about those around them watching, Poe took the opportunity to take Lyra’s face in his hands as he kissed her clumsily, beaming at her as if he was the proudest man in the galaxy. 

She took his hand and squeezed it affectionately as Leia called for a final round of applause for all the rebels who had received a promotion and the Black squadron behind her along with Finn patted her back in congratulations. 

After the ceremony, as they all walked to the cantina for food, BB-8 rolled in-front of Lyra with a flower taped to his head, causing Lyra to giggle as she bent down to his level.

“What’s this?”

Poe shrugged. “He wanted to give you something to say congratulations, his idea not mine, he just asked me to tape it to him so he could bring it to you.”

Lyra took the flower from BB-8 before kissing the droid’s head softly. “Oh B, how very sweet of you, thank you my dear.”

BB-8 beeped happily as she stood up again. Poe nudged her shoulder softly as she resumed her place at his side. 

“You know, Beebee isn’t the only one who got you a present.”

“Poe, you have already given me enough, please tell me you didn’t spend money on me.”

He shrugged as he threw an arm around her shoulder. “Just a little, anyway don’t be like that. I just hope you like it. I’ll show it to you after we get food ok?”

Lyra nodded as she leaned into him. 

The squadron had organised a cake to be made to commemorate Lyra’s promotion and they all sat celebrating together, as true friends. It was only after a meal and two whole helpings of cake, Poe and Lyra managed to slip out so that Poe could show Lyra her present. 

He fastened a blindfold over her eyes before hoisting her up into a piggyback to carry her to the hangar where her present was waiting for her.

“OK, are you ready?” he asked.

“You mean the cake wasn’t the present? Ok, alright, yes, I’m ready.”

He let her down and untied the blindfold and Lyra stared ahead at her present, as her mouth lay hanging open at the sight in-front of her.

Poe had gotten her an X-Wing, her very own X-Wing. Unlike his black one, hers was silver and on the side, was an engraved, eight-pointed sign under the Resistance symbol, just like her Captain’s badge. 

“She just needs a name and then I can get that engraved onto it for you as well” Poe told her.

Lyra turned to him with tears in her eyes as she jumped into his arms. 

“Oh Poe, you really did this for me? Thank you, thank you so much! I love it, I love you.”

He held her legs up as they fastened against his waist and kissed her gently. “You’re welcome sweetheart, a Captain can’t be without a ship now can they?”

She smiled against his lips. “Thank you, so much. Now, I think it’s high time I gave you a little gift of my own.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

She trailed her lips along the shell of his ear. “Remember you wanted to take me in your X-Wing on the way back from Yavin?”

He nodded.

Lyra nodded her head towards the new X-Wing. “Well, climb aboard Squadron leader, think we might need to break this ship in.”


	25. The Calm Before The Storm

As Lyra shot him a knowing look, Poe wasted no time in lifting her up and throwing her over his shoulder, causing her to burst into a fit of giggles as he climbed up into the new X-Wing with her.

As he resumed their usual flying spot of having Lyra in-between his legs she turned her head to the side and kissed his neck gently, sucking on the soft, sensitive flesh there until she bit down hard enough to leave a mark, claiming him for herself.

“You know, this is your ship, it should be me who’s between your legs now.”

Lyra broke the kiss as she raised an eyebrow. “As tempting as that is, I believe it’s my turn to treat you for once.”

She manoeuvred herself to face him properly, for whatever reason, her X-Wing seemed to have a little more sitting room than Poe’s. She supposed it was just due to Poe’s being an older model.

She trailed her hands down his chest until she reached his stomach, and then dipped her fingers beneath his shirt to trail them against his bare skin. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her.

“What are you thinking Captain?”

Her lips curved into a mischievous smile as she leaned forward so her lips were but an inch away from his.

“I’m thinking that right now, you are mine to command.”

Poe felt himself harden instantly to the point where his pants became uncomfortably tight.

“Then I’m yours to command, my Captain.”

She kissed him, wasting no time in slipping her tongue into his hungry mouth where it was met with his own. His tongue seemed to mimic the movements he had perfected against her sex, knowing exactly what pressure to use to have her weak and begging for more.

In an attempt to regain the control that Poe so rarely gave up when they were intimate, her hand trailed down to his hardness, running her hand along the shape of it.

Poe released a moan into the kiss and Lyra moved her mouth to trail down his neck, biting it again on the other side before trailing her mouth down his chest, his stomach, until she came to the belt of his pants.

He watched her with huge, dilated pupils, his breathing already hitched in anticipation for what was to come.

Her fingers ghosted his inner thighs until finally, she released him from the confines of his clothes. As his hard member stood to attention, she tested the waters, running her tongue deliberately slowly and softly along the length of it.

Poe’s mouth hung open as he watched her shamelessly, his eyes locked on hers as they seemed to silently urge her to continue.

Her tongue swirled along the head of him before she took it in her mouth.

He moaned, throwing his head back momentarily at the initial feeling of her taking him in her mouth.

As she continued to run her tongue along it as she thrust her mouth in and out of him, his hands went to her hair, gripping it as he let out more strangled moans.

She was thankful he didn’t try to push her head down onto him, but she sensed his desperation for more of her from the grip he had on her hair.

Her hand went to the base of him, assisting her mouth as she ran it along him in time with her movements.

Her teeth very lightly grazed the head of his member as she dragged her tongue along the edge of him once more.

“Lyra, you have to stop, before I.... stop, I want to feel all of you” he managed to speak out in a choked cry.

She looked up at him with a smug smile, taking him in her mouth for one last thrust before moving to sit on his lap.

“You, uh, you are pretty damn good at that you know?”

He rest a hand on her neck as he pulled her in to kiss her.

“Glad I could impress you, but you told me to stop, and I was under the impression that you were mine to command, so that won’t do Commander, not at all.”

He smirked at her, his eyes still hooded in lust as he watched for her next move.

She began to grind against him, allowing his hardness to grind against her core.

Poe gripped her dress, kissing her neck hard enough to leave a mark as she teased herself against him.

“You’re such a tease, Captain” he whispered against her flesh.

His hands dipped under her dress, dragging his nails over her thighs softly as he came to her soaked underwear.

He moved it to the side, sliding his finger along her wet slit, smirking at the realisation he wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of her slow, teasing movements.

Lyra let out a moan as she gripped his hair and lifted herself up only to lower herself onto him slowly.

They both let out groans of relief as their bodies joined as one.

For a while, Lyra sat there motionless, revelling in the feeling of Poe filling her up. It was only when his hands crawled up her back and pulled her closer did she move her hips slowly.

“Lyra, please” Poe begged her, his voice growing more desperate with want with every word.

“Please what my love? What do you want me to do?”

“Please, ride me, I need to feel you” he whispered, running his teeth along her collarbone slowly.

She ran her thumb along his bottom lip as she gazed down at him.

“Well, seeing as you asked so nicely.”

She began to roll her hips against him, moving in and out of him.

It wasn’t long before the window of the X-Wing steamed up with the heat radiating from both their bodies.

Poe ran his arms down her back before he gripped at her backside as Lyra pulled at his hair, causing him to move his head back, allowing her to bite at his neck. He let out a long groan as she ran her tongue along the skin she had bitten.

It didn’t take long for Poe to finally give in and move his own hips upwards to meet her thrusts. He pulled her close as he thrust, moving her dress aside so that he could pull one of her breasts into his mouth and swirl his tongue along her hardened nipple softly.

Lyra’s hands went to the steamed-up window as he kissed her, feeling a familiar, warm feeling build up inside of her. 

As Poe kissed her, speeding up his movements, Lyra’s moans became louder and he moved his hand to circle her clit, causing her to grow closer to her release.

“Come on sweetheart, cum for me” he whispered against her, moving his face up to kiss her lips. 

She cried against his mouth as her release hit her hard and fast and she tried not to slump against him completely after riding her orgasm out. Lyra tightening around Poe’s length was enough to draw him closer to his own climax and after another minute or so, he moaned loudly against her as she felt him release into her.

They sat there, panting against each other as they tried to catch their breath and come down from their highs. Poe took a deep breath out before they laughed softly.

“I’ve always, always wanted to do that” he smiled.

“I’m surprised you haven’t already. All that time spent in an X-Wing and you never fulfilled your number one fantasy?”

He cupped her cheek before kissing along her jawline slowly. “Guess I was just waiting for the perfect partner.” 

She kissed his lips gently before pulling back enough to stare deep into his eyes. 

“What a perfect day. Made Captain, made owner of a brand-new ship all of my own and made love to the most wonderful man in the world.”

Poe chuckled as she wrapped a finger around a strand of his curly hair. “Think they’ll make you a poster girl for the Resistance now?”

“Oh stars, I hope not. We would be the most obnoxious couple in the galaxy if we were both on posters.”

“I don’t know, I think it would be pretty cool, Poe and Lyra, the power couple. Inspiring young love all across the galaxy, paints a pretty picture doesn’t it?”

“I suppose it does. Come on lover-boy. I wonder if there’s any cake left over?”

Poe giggled softly as he opened the hatch of the X-Wing. “You know, if I ever lose you on base, I know exactly where you’ll be.”

XXX

As light came flooding through their bedroom window, Lyra heard Poe breath deeply beside her. As usual, his body was spooned around hers and his warm breath tickled her neck gently.

She turned to face him, noticing he barely shifted as she moved and looked at him as he slept. She had always been envious of how naturally long his eyelashes were and how his hair always seemed to look good, even when it was a mess. Clutching at Poe’s ring around her neck she realised how content she was now. She had a family, a purpose and a job as well as friends that cared for her, and a lover who supported her wholeheartedly. As she drew lazy circles along his chest, his eyelids fluttered open to stare at her.

“Hey you, everything ok?”

She nodded.

“What are you thinking about?”

His voice was husky and sleepy as he spoke.

“I was just thinking, did you know if you put a tic at the end of your name, it spells poetic. I had never realised that before.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s, that’s what you were thinking about? Stars, I love you, you complete and utter weirdo” he whispered against her. Her kiss was lazy, and a little withdrawn and Poe leaned backwards to stare at her, his eyes filled with concern.

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

She paused. 

“I….. I would marry you, you know. If it wasn’t for the fact I am in fact, already married. I just, I wouldn’t want you to think I wasn’t serious about you.”

His eyes wondered down to his mother’s ring as he held her close. “I know. I know you’re serious about us. Listen, when this war is over, or at least, when the First Order is at its weakest and more time has passed for Hux to have moved on, we can make plans. Married or not, I know we are in this for the long-haul.”

She smiled at him before leaning up to kiss him gently. She could not however, shake the feeling that something, somewhere out there, didn’t feel right.

XXX

General Armitage Hux stood on the bridge of the Finalizer as the staff under his command scurried about the control room, trying desperately not to get on his bad side.

Since Lyra had left his side, he had been easily agitated, more so than usual, something his lieutenants never believed was possible. A scared looking officer approached the stern-faced General as he stood there, tapping his foot against the polished floor impatiently.

“Sir, we believe we have discovered the co-ordinates to the rebel base hideout.”

Hux turned his head toward the officer, his eyes wide.

“Well” he said after a pause, “where is it you incompetent fool?”

The officer flinched. “D’Qar sir.”

Hux couldn’t help but smile. Finally, Lyra was within his grasp.

“Send in a squadron of TIE fighters, send Phasma down. If you find my wife, I want her back here, alive and unharmed.” 

The officer nodded and moved swiftly to carry out the General’s orders.

Hux clenched his fists as a warmth he had not felt for what felt like the longest time filled him. Lyra was alive, he knew it, and soon, she would be his once more.

XXX

As Lyra and Poe remained in bed, cuddling one another in an attempt to enjoy a lazy morning lie-in, a loud alarm began to sound across the base, causing Lyra to look at him in confusion.

“What, what does that alarm mean?”

Poe frowned as he kissed her forehead before jumping up out of bed to throw clothes on.

“It means the First Order has found us.”


	26. Reunited Once More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the loooong update wait guys, I have been updating a little more on Fanfiction and totally forgot to update on here, I've recently moved and have been putting all my time and energy into looking for a new job (to no avail) so i do apologise for the long wait. I've not been able to put in as much time as I want into writing more chapters, though I do have a few on reserve so I hope I eventually have enough time to work on it enough to bring it to a satisfying end.

Lyra threw on some clothes herself as Poe turned to her. 

“Lyra, go to the docks, help the others leave, I need to make sure Leia is alright. Then we leave together ok? I’ll meet you out there, go.”

Lyra listened and nodded to him once before running outside to help the Resistance members as much as she could before it was too late. 

The rebels quickly packed up their most important possessions and fled to their ships in an attempt to evacuate the base as soon as possible. Lyra pulled out her blaster as the TIE fighters flew closer to D’Qar, ready to attack any and all who threatened her and her friends.

She looked around frantically for Poe after she had helped some rebels pack up and leave, but as she looked up at the skies, her heart sank.  
Above her, a cruiser pulled into view from hyperspace. A cruiser she knew all too well.  
The Finalizer.

Hux had finally found her.

She felt as if she might throw up. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, as if threatening to jump out of her body. How stupid of her, to think that she could go the entire war, let alone the rest of her life without her old life creeping back into her present one for vengeance.

There was no point fighting now, Hux had found her and if she did not come willingly, he would burn the entire planet to the ground to get to her.  
She could hold them off at least, use herself as a distraction while the Resistance escaped. As she stood, waiting for the inevitable, someone collided into her, pulling her close.  
Poe.

She held him back, allowing the tears to fall, knowing this would be the last time she would see him.  
When he didn’t let her go she pulled back to look him in the eyes, stroking his cheek gently.

“Poe, you need to go, you need to leave with the others. You can escape this, I’ll distract them long enough to hold the Finalizer off you.”

Tears fell from her eyes as she told him. She could not stand the idea of leaving him now, not when they had been so happy together.

“I’m not leaving you.”

He kissed her like it really was the last time they would see each other.

“You have to, you have to go, you have to be there for Leia and our friends. You have to win this war Poe, you have to survive. For me” Lyra told him as they rest their heads against one another.  
“If we go down, we go down together. I’m not leaving you like this Lyra, not at the mercy of the First Order.”

“Please Poe, you don’t have to do this for me.”

“Yes, yes I do sweetheart. I told you I have something worth fighting for in this war. It’s you, it’s been you since the day I met you.”

She held his hands tightly as a carrier ship lowered to the ground. Stormtroopers began filling out, guns raised.

“I love you Poe Dameron” she whispered to him as they raised their hands in surrender.

“I love you too, so much.”

As the Stormtroopers surrounded them, another figure stepped out of the ship. It was Phasma, looking as formidable as always.

“Lady Hux, so good to finally see you again, and you have a friend with you. Dispose of him.”

“NO!”

Phasma and her troopers paused at Lyra’s outburst.

“He’s surrendering. We both are. Don’t you think the General will want to deal with the man who stole his wife away personally?”

Phasma gave her troops one curt nod after a lengthy pause and both Lyra and Poe were roughly pulled onto the ship after being put into hand restraints.  
On the carrier ship, Poe and Lyra sat together, their fingers lightly touching as they waited to be escorted onto the Finalizer.

“So, you think bringing me to Hux is the best option for me right now? I’m not mad, just curious about your slightly strange plan of action here” Poe whispered.

“He’s the only one I have any chance of talking into sparing you with. Besides, Leia never would have forgiven me if I had just allowed her greatest pilot to be shot down by a bunch of useless lackeys.”  
Poe smirked, despite it all, he smirked. He felt Lyra’s fingers shake and when he looked at her, more tears fell soundlessly from her eyes as she bit back sobs.

“Hey, hey it’s gonna be alright. Everything will be ok Lyra, I’m here” he whispered to her.

He reached up to wipe her tears away and a Stormtrooper knocked the side of his head, making him hiss out in pain.  
“Touch him again and it will be the last time I see you with hands” Lyra spat at the Stormtrooper.

Phasma laughed from under her chrome armour. “My, my, I never thought I would see Hux’s wife quite so aggressive, life with the Resistance has changed you my lady.”  
Lyra nodded. “Yes, it has Phasma, so I would advise your men not to test me.”

As the carrier pulled into the Finalizer, Poe and Lyra were once again shoved out into the docking area where they were pushed to their knees forcefully.  
They looked at one another again as more footsteps approached before Lyra’s gaze fell to the floor.

“Lyra? Is it really you?”

Lyra took a deep breath out before looking up.

“Hello Armitage.”

While he could never falter under the watchful eyes of the First Order, Lyra noticed his gaze soften as he stared down at her in disbelief. He looked different. Somehow older. His hair was slicked down even more than usual and his eyes were sunken and glassy…. He looked as if he had not seen sleep for weeks. His skin was paler, and he looked gaunt. Still handsome, at least in her eyes, but he looked ill.

“Finally, Lady Hux, back in our hands at last” a man she knew to be Captain Peavey spoke up.

“It’s Captain” Lyra said quietly as Hux continued to stare down at her as if she were a mirage.

“I beg your pardon?”

“It’s Captain Lyrasanna now, actually.”

She could have sworn she saw a corner of Hux’s mouth turn upwards as if wanting to smirk.

“General Hux, what are your orders sir?”

Hux didn’t glance back at the Stormtrooper that had spoken up as Lyra met his gaze. In his eyes, she looked so very different too. She was wearing men’s clothes, her hair was longer and she wore it down. She was no longer painfully thin as she was when she had been with him. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. And she was finally there with him once more.

“Uh, please escort my wife back to our chambers. Gently.”

Lyra glanced over at Poe, their hands almost touching.

“And the other Resistance member sir? He surrendered himself to us without a fight as well.”

Hux looked down at Poe as he instantly recognised him. A tight frown formed upon his brow.

“Kill him” the General said coldly.

“No, no please, Armitage please. Please don’t kill him, please don’t do this, you don’t have to kill him, he surrendered” Lyra begged as some Stormtroopers stepped forward to restrain her.

Hux stared down at his wife, shocked she would even ask that of him after the stunt she had pulled, running away with him.  
He ignored her and nodded at the Stormtroopers who raised Poe onto his feet roughly.

“NO! Please Armitage, please. If you kill him, I will never stop fighting you, I will never act the part of your good, obedient wife again, not ever. I will fight against you until I have no life in my body. But if, if you spare him, I will come quietly. I won’t seek out the Resistance again, I won’t fight against the First Order. I’ll stay here, with you.”

Poe shook his head. “No Lyra, you don’t have to do this for me.”

“Shut up, you stubborn-headed Pilot. I’m trying to save your life. Please Armitage. Please grant me this request.”

Hux paused, staring between his wife and the Pilot he had learned to hate these past few months. He grit his teeth together as he practically snarled over at Poe.  
“Escort my wife to our chambers. As for the Pilot, I’ll deal with him myself.”

“NO! Armitage please, if you love me, if you ever loved me, if you ever even cared about me, please don’t do this! Please don’t kill him, I’m begging you now, please.”

The Stormtroopers began to lead her away as Hux reached for Poe, grabbing the Pilot’s jacket roughly.

“NO! DON’T DO THIS ARMITAGE PLEASE! Poe, Poe, I love you” Lyra called out to him as the troopers dragged her kicking and screaming away.

“I love you too sweetheart, don’t you forget it alright” Poe called back as Hux’s grip tightened on him, pinching the skin of his shoulder as he pulled him away through the hallways of the Finalizer. He could still hear Lyra’s screams through the length of the ship.

As the Stormtroopers entered the passcode for Hux’s chambers, they unlocked Lyra’s restraints and pushed her into the rooms before locking the door behind her.  
The last time she had that done to her, it had spurred her on to leave escape the ship with Poe. Realising she did not have that choice anymore, she began to lash out, ignoring Millicent, their cat who had stepped closer to the young woman out of curiosity, unsure if it was indeed the same Lyra she had come to love as an owner over the years.

Lyra knocked Hux’s papers that were on his desk onto the floor and threw his expensive whiskey and glasses against the doors to the chambers, causing Millicent to scurry away in fear.   
As the young woman threw a fit, Hux led Poe away, to a secluded room away from the rest of the ship’s inhabitants. As he threw Poe to the ground, he locked the door behind him.

“Alright, let’s do this. You want to take your anger out on me that’s fine, but don’t you dare go back to Lyra and take it out on her” Poe said as he stood up, bracing himself for the torture that Hux was inevitably about to inflict on her.

“You helped my wife escape with you. You let her join your loathsome little rebellion. You led her into danger. You poisoned her mind, you poisoned her against me. I should kill you right here, right now in the slowest, most painful way possible” Hux said as he pushed him against the wall, holding him there by his neck, making it hard for Poe to talk.

“No, I didn’t persuade her to do anything. She’s stronger than you ever gave her credit for. She’s one of the strongest people I know in this entire galaxy, and you, you were happy to keep her here, in a gilded cage while you went out and killed innocent people.”

Poe’s nails dug into Hux’s hand.

“I loved my wife. I love her still. I would never have put her into dangerous situations the way you did.”

“Is that why you tried to have her killed? Because you love her so much?”

Hux had to stop himself from biting his own tongue in anger. “You don’t know the half of it you insufferable fool. Everything I’ve done has been for her. You would put her in harm’s way for the sake of your own selfish desires to fuel this useless rebellion, and you truly think you’re better than me?”

Poe smirked. “I didn’t put Lyra in harm’s way. Like I said, she’s stronger than anyone else I know, she volunteered herself to help. You just never believed she could protect herself from danger. Buddy, how wrong you were. That woman has a fire inside of her that could burn away all her enemies to dust.”

Hux’s grip tightened, cutting off Poe’s air supply, causing the Pilot to reach out and knee Hux in the crotch.

As Hux let him go, Poe tried to move away but the General grabbed him and threw him against another wall.

“Look, if you’re gonna kill me, just do it. It doesn’t take away how much I love her and it never well. You’re the one who would have to live with that, with her hatred for you. So, go ahead. I can leave this life in peace. I don’t think you can say the same.”

Hux’s eyebrow twitched. “You truly love her? It wasn’t just a game for you, to have her fall for you and have your fun?”

Poe looked at him as if he had sprouted another head. “Of course I love her. You think I would have surrendered just so I could spend my final moments with her if I didn’t?”

Hux frowned. “You made her happy?”

Poe nodded slowly. “I’d like to think so. She makes me happy, every second I spend with her. Guess we have that one thing in common, we both love her.”

Hux paused before nodding slowly.

“Look, just, get it over with. But can you just, please can you just make sure she knows that I loved her. And I wouldn’t have changed anything about these last few months. Will you just pass on that message for me, as a final request, please?”

Hux reached into his greatcoat for his blaster, and Poe closed his eyes, thinking of Lyra before the end.

XXX

As soon as Hux opened the door to his chambers, he was practically pounced on. Lyra’s hits came swift and hard. She slapped his face before pounding against his chest, knocking him back, almost off his feet completely.

“YOU KILLED HIM! YOU MONSTER! You killed him!”

Hux tried to take hold of her hands gently but she escaped his grip, hitting his chest again.

“Lyra, please calm down, Lyra, listen to me, please” Hux said quietly.

As she cried and screamed, she continued to hit him until Hux was forced to grip her wrists tighter, in an attempt to calm her down.

“Stop! I didn’t kill him.”

She stared up at him through her tears. “Liar!” she screamed as she tried to escape his grip.

“I’m not lying. He isn’t dead. I set him free.”

She shook her head, though her attempts to escape his grip lessened. “You’re lying, how do I know you’re not lying?”

Hux sighed. “I let him escape on a TIE fighter through one of our escape pods. I promise I’m not lying.”

“I, I don’t believe you.”

He let her go and handed her a radio from his pocket. She reluctantly took it and turned it on.

“Lyra, are you there?”

It was Poe’s voice, clear as day. Lyra choked back a sob as she answered.

“Yes, Poe, it’s me, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I’m safe. Are you hurt?”

Hux watched her as she spoke into the radio. “No, no I’m not hurt.”

“I need you to listen to me now sweetheart ok? Hux let me go free so now I need you to do me a favour ok? I need you to stay alive for me, I need you to stay safe for me. Can you do that?”

Lyra sank to her knees, clutching the radio tightly. “Poe.”

“I love you sweetheart. I’ll find you again someday. We’ll win this war and I’ll find you. I promise. I love you.”

Lyra’s tears fell as Hux watched on, his heart breaking a little more with each second.

“I love you too Poe. So very much. Find your way back to me.”

“I will, I will sweetheart. Goodbye.”

Her lip quivered as the word she was meant to say back was caught in her throat.

“Goodbye.”

As the radio signal cut off, Hux reached a hand down. “I’ll take that now, my darling, if you don’t mind?”

Without looking up, Lyra handed Hux the radio and flinched as he smashed it, destroying it once and for all, as she had done with her own radio to him when she had first joined the Resistance.  
The realisation that she was now without Poe hit her and she hung her head in her hands as tears fell with no sign of stopping.

Hux stared down at her. Unsure of how to comfort her, almost certain there was no way he could. He unfastened his gloves and put his greatcoat down before glancing around the room, noticing the damage Lyra had already done in her anger. He wrinkled his nose at his papers lying all around the chambers in disarray.  
“Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance don’t you?”

She didn’t look up.

“You must be hungry. I’ll have some food brought, can I get you anything in particular?”

“Why? Why did you do it? Why did you spare him? You had every reason to kill him, you were going to kill him, what changed?”  
She stared at him with red, teary eyes.

He knelt across the room from her so that he was on her level. “Because he made you happy, and I have grown tired of bringing you pain. Killing him would have only extended your suffering.”  
“Then why didn’t you let me escape with him, if you so desire to make me happy?”

Armitage blinked at her. “Because, because I love you too.”

Lyra scoffed. “Love me? You tried to have me killed!”

He shook his head. “No my darling, I didn’t.”

“I’m not an idiot Armitage. I saw the death warrant, your signature was on it. You ordered my death yourself.”

“I didn’t sign your death warrant Lyra.”

Lyra stood up. “By the stars, your faith in my intelligence is insulting! I saw the warrant with my own eyes Armitage. Lyrasanna Nyine, dangerous war criminal wanted dead by order of General Armitage Hux, complete with your seal.”

Hux bit back tears of his own. “It was forged, by Ren. I believe Snoke ordered it, his faith in me lately has been, lacking to say the least. I think he asked Ren to do it so that I might move on quicker if I knew you had been killed. When I discovered the death warrant, I did everything in my path to hide it from the public, destroy it even.”

Lyra shook her head as Hux stood up and tried to step closer to her.

“No, I….. I saw it myself, it, it was your signature.”

“Ren forged it, I swear it’s the truth. Don’t you think if that warrant had been in place all this time, you would be dead by now? I destroyed it the second I learnt it existed. Lyra, please, you have to believe me.”

Lyra moved to sit on the edge of the bed they once shared happily as a couple. The sheets felt colder than she remembered. Hux went to lean against his desk. He wanted nothing more than to hold his wife, the woman he had come to miss so desperately these past few weeks. The sight of her there on their bed should have made him happy, but he felt Lyra’s sadness as her tears continued to fall and the warmth he felt from her return turned bittersweet.

“I have truly failed you as a husband if you really believed, even for one second I would order your death” he said quietly.

She looked up at him. “Would you be surprised if I thought you had gone to such lengths? I left you in the middle of the night, with no warning, no discussion all so I could join those you have been striving to kill for years now.”

He frowned. “But through all of that, you are still my wife.”

She looked down at her hands, feeling a twinge of guilt over expecting the worst from him when in reality, he seemed more forgiving than she ever thought possible. Too forgiving, it wasn’t right. It wasn’t how she had ever imagined a reunion with him would turn out.

Hux looked down at his desk.

“You destroyed my best whiskey” he smirked.

“Yes well, I thought you had killed Poe. You had best be thankful that whiskey bottle wasn’t your head.”

Hux widened his eyes at her comment, he had never known his wife to have such aggression inside of her, least of all towards him.  
“No matter. It can be replaced.”

Lyra shook her head. “Why even keep me alive? You’re only delaying the inevitable. When Snoke finds out I’m here, he will kill me, with less mercy than you would.”

“I won’t allow him to kill you Lyra.”

“If he decides that, you would be powerless to stop him.”

Hux moved to sit next to her on the bed, an arms width apart from her.

“Then we cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, I’m just happy to see you again. It feels like an eternity since I saw your face.”  
Before Lyra could reply, Millicent returned, stepping onto Lyra’s lap before settling down onto her.

Hux smiled. “She’s missed you. We both have.”


End file.
